Entity
by Raudell
Summary: While Clark and Lois are adjusting to their new life together, a dark entity descends upon earth, its sights set on Kal El. Sequel to Transfer, set 3.5 years later. Clois & Chlex.
1. Prologue

**Title**: Entity (Sequel to Transfer)  
**Author**: Areon (Kaleb)  
**Rating**: T/M (PG-13/R) - Some strong violence, moderate language, and suggestive adult themes  
**Disclaimer**: Nearly all characters belong to DC Comics, Warner Bros., Al Gough, Miles Millar, etc. etc.; this story is a tribute to those great characters, and no infringement is intended. The lyrics of the song _Iris_ by the _Goo Goo Dolls_ are used in their entirety in one chapter, and the lyrics and music belong to its respective copyright holder. Again, no infringement is intended, and the lyrics will be removed upon request of the copyright holder. All other characters and content belongs to the author, but free right is given to distribute (but not to alter) it in its entirity or in part, as long as a link to the original location is included or permission from the author is obtained.  
**Spoilers**: Season 4, Transfer  
**Placement**: Future, during what would be season 8  
**Quick Summary**: While Clark and Lois are adjusting to their new life together, a dark entity descends upon earth, its sights set on Kal-El. Sequel to Transfer, set 3.5 years later.  
**Note**: This story has been modified from its original version. It has been formatted to fit your screen (i.e. it has been heavily edited and improved - which, unlike a fullscreen cutoff of the original widescreen, is a good thing!).  
**Author's Note**: The previous story in this series, Transfer, took place shortly after the season four episode _Spirit_ (4.18). And while Transfer did follow the Smallville continuity up to that point, for story related reasons I have eliminated _Onyx_ (4.17) from the continuity of this story. Also, Transfer dramatically breaks from the Smallville continuity after the eighteenth episode of season four, so though Entity takes place in the future, it does not follow any of the plotlines introduced in season five or six of Smallville. Thus you will need to have read Transfer to truly understand just what happened to bring the characters to where they are now. As for what has happened in between Transfer and Entity, well you'll just have to read along to find out.  
**Special Thanks** : I want to offer a special thanks to everyone that read and reviewed my previous story: Transfer. Without your constant support, not only would this story not be possible, but Transfer would not have been completed either. For all my fans at , Devoted to Smallville, Forever Devoted to Clois, Divine Intervention, KryptonSite, and LaneKent, thank you! You're what makes writing so much fun. I also want to thank Trixiemcbimbo for her beta work. This story just wouldn't be the same without her. Thank you so much, Trixie!

**Prologue**

Time was meaningless for a being so ageless. The Entity, as it called itself, did not know a time when it did not exist. Perhaps it had been there from the foundation of the universe. It did not know. The only thing it knew was the hunger. It was always present, always motivating the Entity forward. Time did not matter. Feeding did. It fed on the only thing it knew. Destruction. Degradation. Death. These things pushed it to continue, pushed it to move on. It forever searched for the next source of fulfillment. And soon it would arrive at a new feeding ground, ripe with possibilities. The third planet from the sun of an unremarkable solar system was its destination. How the insignificant solar system had caught its attention was unknown. Knowing would require memory, and for a being that time itself was meaningless, memory held little value. The how or the why was unimportant. All that mattered was the who. Who did this new planet hold, and what potential for destruction could be realized?

The Entity neared the planet, and the voices came. Voices crying out in pain. Voices crying out for help. Voices laughing at the suffering of others. Voices breathing their last. It was music to its ears, satisfying its hunger. The planet was ripe with destruction, ripe with degradation, and ripe with death. This would be a planet to savor. The best meals were those that had already been prepared. And the table had already been set, the first course laid before it. It took its time with the first course. It would savor every moment.

The Entity drew closer and the cries of pain and anguish grew louder. The crescendo had begun. And ah, what a performance. A cry of pain here. A last breath there. An evil laugh mixed in for good measure. What a beautiful, beautiful sound. One of the best pieces of work it had ever heard.

And then a terrible sound interrupted the drama, like a high pitched note played off key. A cry of pain…stopped. This drew its attention immediately. Something was not right. Someone had intervened, stopping the pain. And someone with great power. Great, great power. And something else…something sickening. Love. Purity. Sacrifice. No, it could not be. How could a being with such great power and great love exist in a world as doomed as this one? It should not have been possible. And it must be corrected. If the being could be turned…the possibilities were endless. Suffering such as it had not received in a long time would be made possible. The Entity reveled at the possibilities. This must be done, no matter what the cost.

Its attention shifted completely. The suffering could be neglected for the moment. Time, after all, was meaningless. It would watch, and it would wait. No being was perfect. Eventually, a slip would occur, and it would seize the moment. For now, it would watch and wait. Just watch and wait.


	2. Reflections

**Chapter One - Reflections**

This was her day. No, their day. This was their day. They had waited, patiently, for what felt like too long, and now it was finally here. After all the trials, all the heartache, and all the separation, Lois Lane was finally going to become Lois Lane Kent. She still couldn't believe it. Clark had asked _her_ to marry him. Her! He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her! He loved her! How had that ever happened? How had a man so amazing ever chosen her? She wasn't worthy of his love. Yet in only a few hours he was going to be hers. Forever.

Lois played that word over and over in her mind. Forever. It was a long time, one she had never thought she would have committed to. She hadn't believed she would ever get married. And her history with men was just one of a long list of reasons why. Not only would she never find a man that she would be willing to spend the rest of her life with, but she also really wasn't the marriage type. She was too independent to be put under the authority of anyone else. She had been running from her father's authority for years, so it didn't make sense for her to throw herself under the authority of yet another person.

But Clark Kent had changed everything. He had redefined everything she had ever thought she wanted, he had opened her eyes to the way a relationship could work, and he had shown her that there were still good men in the world. But he was more than a good man. He was a great man. And he loved her. And she loved him. She loved him more than she had ever thought it possible to love someone. How had that ever happened?

Lois' thoughts drifted to the day that had started it all. Saturday, April twenty-third, two thousand and five. The day she had woken up to find Clark crying. In her body. And that had only been the beginning of the weirdness, the climax of which had been her falling in love with him and him returning those feelings. Fate had chosen an interesting way of getting them together. But she wouldn't have changed the way it had been done even if she was able to. If they hadn't switched bodies, not only would she have not found out about Clark's gifts until much later, which had been the catalyst that had triggered her love in the first place, but she would also have never experienced something even more significant: being connected to Clark Kent. If not for the body transfer, neither of them would have had any reason to touch the stone, and their hearts would not have been joined together forever. So even if she had, at some future point, fallen in love with him, it wouldn't have been the same. They were connected, now and always, and soon they would be one, forever.

Forever. The word still resonated in Lois' mind. She was about to commit her life to Clark Kent forever. And somehow the thought didn't scare her. The knowledge that no matter what happened Clark would be there, by her side, gave her great comfort and hope. Life was so much richer with him in it, and there was nothing they could not face together. She was sure of it. If they could get though everything that had happened in the last several years and still arrive at the moment that this day held, then they could get through anything. And no matter what the future held, no matter what problems came up, she wasn't going to back down. That wasn't something she did. She was going to cleave to Clark no matter what. She was going to make it work.

The last several years had been tough. Even with her nightly "phone calls" to him and their bi-monthly visits, it had been hard. Being apart from Clark was always hard, at least since she had fallen in love with him. But then school had started, and her conversations with him had become less and less frequent, as the pressure of a large load of classes tied up her free time. A twenty-one hour course load would tie up anyone's free time.

Everyone she had talked to had told her that her schedule was insane. And perhaps they had been right. But she had done it for Clark, to get as much done as soon as possible so that when he finished his training, she would be able to tone down her course load and spend time with him, yet still graduate on time. Clark's training had taken a bit longer than even she had thought it would, though, and she had nearly finished her degree when the fateful day had come.

Now _that_ had been a good day. No, it had been a great day. An exceptional day. A day better than any other day in her life up to that point. A day rivaled only by the day that was before her now. A day she would cherish forever, remember forever.

* * *

_Saturday, April 26th, 2008_

Lois shifted in her seat a bit, trying to get comfortable. As much as she loved visiting the Kent's, she hated the drive. It wasn't much fun sitting in the same place for three hours with nothing to do. She used to listen to music, but that had changed about a year ago when some nut had broken into her car and stolen the CD player. And she simply didn't have the money to replace it. She barely had enough money to make the trips from Metropolis to Smallville with the way gas prices were these days. Her monthly visits had slipped to every other month, then to quarterly visits. And it had been four months since she had visited them last, over Christmas. This weekend, though, visiting them was a necessity. She just had to get away from school before finals and relieve some stress. And visiting the Kent's always helped her relieve stress.

The Kent's were such special people. Over the last four and a half years they had really become part of her family. They had opened their home to her, no questions asked, and shown her what a loving home could feel like. Every time she visited, they welcomed her as if she was their own daughter. And in their minds, she knew, they considered her to be just that.

Lois' thoughts drifted to the man that could make her legally part of the family. Not that such a thing was likely to happen. She was still surprised that they had stayed together for as long as they had. She was just waiting for the day when Clark woke up and realized that there were better women in the world than her. Yet she wished that somehow that day would never come, for she loved being with him, even if she did only get to see him once a month.

She really missed him. The change from seeing him twice a month to alternating between his parents and her had been a hard thing to adjust to, but they both knew it was for the best. His parents deserved to see him as much as she did, and she really didn't have the time or money to set aside two weekends a month for him. She needed that money, even with the General's support and her student loans, to stay in school. And she needed the weekdays to study and work on homework.

Overall, it was for the best. But she still missed seeing him. She could still talk to him every night if she wanted to, but she really didn't have the time to do so. Not to mention that she barely got any sleep as it was, and when she did talk to Clark, they tended to talk all night. His body may have been able to take the lack of sleep, but hers wasn't, even with the shape she was in.

A billboard caught Lois' eye and pulled her from her thoughts. She smiled when she read what was written on it. In very large red letters the sign said, "Lois Lane Stop Here". It was so like Clark to do something like that. He made her feel special throughout the month, even when she couldn't see him. Flowers in her window or spread out across her bed, notes left on her nightstand telling her how much she meant to him, and random little "adventures" planned out for her to take, always with something special to find at the end.

At first she had been mad at him for not waking her up when he came to visit those nights, but then she had realized why he hadn't. It was for the same reason she wasn't able to talk to him very many nights. He had work to do, and needed a good night's rest to process the information he was learning. And if he woke her up, they would be up all night talking, she knew. So she had just accepted it and taken the small romantic gestures for what they were.

Lois slowed her car and pulled it to the side of the road, then got out and walked over to the large billboard. _What does Smallville have planned this time?_ She wondered. Underneath the billboard was a table, and on the table there were two items. A piece of paper and a shovel. She opened the note and read it.

_Har har! There be a buried treasure somewhere in the area, worth a hefty sum. I be looking fer it these many years, but find it I did not. This map here be fer ye. It be too complicated fer me to see, but me thinks you will have more luck._

_Clark._

Lois laughed at Clark's pirate slang attempt, then turned the note over to look at the map and laughed again. It was a very simple hand drawn map, and anyone with any sense at all would have been able to follow it. Drawn out was the billboard and her car, then a straight line to a tree, then a right turn to a giant X.

Lois picked up the shovel and headed straight away from the road, towards the only tree in sight. She smiled widely. This was going to be fun.

She began counting paces, throwing herself into her role. Sixty-seven paces later, she was at the only tree in the area.

She turned ninety degrees at the tree, and continued to count paces. Another sixty-seven paces later, she arrived at her destination and laughed. There, painted on the ground, was a very large X. How much more obvious could it get?

She began digging. And digging. And digging. _How deep did you bury it, Smallville?_ She paused a moment, wiped the sweat off her brow with her arm, and took in her handiwork. She was reminded of another time, shortly after they had met, when she had been in a similar situation. Although instead of digging up buried treasure, she had been digging up the grave of someone who wasn't really dead. Her current hole was about the same size as the one she had made nearly three and a half years ago. Clark had definitely gone overboard.

Lois was about to give up when she heard a loud _thunk_. Finally! Something other than dirt. It took her a few more minutes to clear the remaining dirt around what almost looked like the top of a casket. Déjà vu. She sincerely hoped Clark hadn't had her dig up a coffin. There would be pain if he had. Serious pain. Invulnerable or not.

She cleared the remaining dirt around the object in question and pulled it out. It wasn't a coffin, but an actual treasure chest, and it appeared to be centuries old. How had he ever tracked down an actual treasure chest? Then again, he could fly all the way around the world in a matter of minutes. So finding a centuries old treasure chest shouldn't have been that much trouble. She wondered if he had actually gotten it from a real pirate's cove.

She noticed a lock on the front of the chest and sighed. Great. Just great. All that work, and the chest was locked. What did Clark expect her to do? Break it open with her bare hands? He might be able to do that, but she couldn't. What was the point of the whole treasure hunt if she couldn't have the prize?

Lois took a seat on top of the chest and started to think. There had to be more to it than this. She was missing something. And likely something obvious. She looked over the note again. Nothing. No clues. Nothing at all to help her figure out how to get the chest open.

A thought occurred to her. No, it couldn't be. Could it? She stuck her hand down her blouse and pulled out the key she always wore around her neck. Clark had given it to her three years before, during one of his visits. He had told her it was the key to his heart and that from that moment on he would never lie to her. She had worn it around her neck ever since as a reminder of how much she meant to him. Whenever she doubted herself, she would hold the key in her hand, and remember that Clark believed in her and wanted to be with her. And if someone as amazing as Clark wanted to be with her, then there had to be something inside her of worth, even if she couldn't see it all the time.

Lois got off the chest and kneeled beside it, then put the key in the lock. It fit. She turned it and the lock slid undone. Her jaw dropped in amazement. How had he ever…?

She removed the lock, opened the chest, and looked inside. Her jaw dropped again. Inside was every article she had ever written, framed. Her articles from the Torch. Her articles from her journalist classes. Her articles from the Met-U Gazette. And even the few articles she had gotten published in the more prominent papers like the _Daily Planet_. She only had three such articles, and all of them had been buried deep within the paper and were fairly short. Still, Clark had found them and framed them all.

A tear fell from her eye as she looked through all of the articles. This was the greatest thing anyone had ever done for her. She had needed this. Seeing her work framed gave her a sense of accomplishment, a sense of worth. _She_ had written each article. _She_ had accomplished something. _She_ had done something special. And _she_ could do something with her life.

Clark knew her so well. He knew just what would help her, and just how to present it to her. He was simply amazing. She was so lucky to have found him. And once again she wished that she could spend the rest of her life with him, that one day she wouldn't wake up and all of it would be over. She knew that day would come, but she was going to treasure the time that she had been given with him. It was worth it, having a relationship with Clark, even knowing that it would not last. Every moment spent with him was a moment she cherished.

As Lois began to pack all the frames back into the chest to take them to her car, she noticed a small gift wrapped package still inside the chest. Clark had something else for her? How much better could this day get?

She picked up the package and began to unwrap it. After discarding the wrapping paper, she opened the box. Inside was a two inch by two inch jewelry box. She smiled. He never ceased to surprise her. The frames, and now a pair of...

Lois' mouth dropped for the third time in a matter of minutes. Her eyes grew wide and her heart jumped. He really never did cease to surprise her. Did this really mean what she thought it meant?

"Hi Lois."

Lois spun around to the sound of the familiar voice, but a little too fast, and nearly fell. Clark grabbed her, holding her steady. His eyes captured her, and her knees began to weaken. Her legs gave out on her, and Clark helped her to the ground, kneeling beside her.

"Are you okay?"

"I…uh…is this…is this an…"

"Engagement ring?"

She nodded.

"Yes."

"Why?"

Clark looked at her in confusion. "What?"

"Why me?"

He took her hand in his and looked into her eyes. "Lois, I love you. And if the last few years have taught me anything, it would be that I can survive without you in my life. But I don't want to. I don't want to live my life without you. You are what I've been searching for my whole life. You are the one that brings a smile to my face at the mere thought of you. And you are the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. There is no one else for me, and there never will be.

"You are the most amazing woman I have ever met. You're intelligent, sexy, independent, fun, and passionate. You make me a better man. I love you more than I ever thought it was even possible to love someone, and you make me happier than I ever thought I could be. And I want to spend the rest of my life proving to you how special you are.

"So Lois Joanne Lane, will you marry me?"

Lois smiled, her joy overflowing. "Yes, I will marry you, Clark Jerome Kent."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Wow."

* * *

Lois smiled as she thought back to that day. It was a perfect day, a perfect proposal. Clark had thought of everything. The treasure chest, the newspaper articles, the key, and even popping the question on their three year anniversary as a couple. And then, to top it all off, he had flown her home and told her that his training was over and that he wasn't going anywhere. She had kissed him in delight, and together they had walked into the Kent house. There, she had been welcomed by yet another surprise. Mr. And Mrs. Kent, Chloe, the General, and Lucy were all there waiting for them. After the congratulations had been given, her family and future family had all sat down and enjoyed one of the best meals of her life. And it hadn't been just about how good the food was, even though it was delicious. Everyone that she loved was there, on her special day, and all of them were happy for her. Even her father was supportive and pleasant, and that had never happened before. Simply put, it was the best day of her life.

Lois sighed slightly and smiled. She hoped to make this day just as memorable, and she was anxious for it to start. She sat up in her bed, let her feet slip off it and onto the floor, and stood up. She smiled again. Lois Lane Kent. Yes, this was going to be a great day.

* * *

Clark still couldn't believe it. In a few short hours, Lois was going to be his wife. His wife! He still couldn't believe she had said yes. Lois, the most amazing woman he had ever met, had agreed to marry him, baggage and all. It was simply too amazing for words. This would be a day to remember, a day that would signify the start of something new, something better. Each day with Lois was far superior to any day spent without her. And after today he wouldn't have to spend another day away from her. He would be hers, forever and always. And his heart jumped at the thought.

She was such an amazing woman. She was intelligent, driven, independent yet open, strong, beautiful, and caring. She wanted to touch the world, to make a difference. She was his strength. She kept him on his toes and never let him feel sorry for himself. She made him a better man. And she loved him for who he was, alien heritage and all.

It had been a long road to get to this day. Letting her go was one of the hardest things he had ever had to do. He knew when he told her she had to find her own life that she would move on. She would get caught up in life, meet new people, and forget about him. And she deserved to. She had too much potential for him to hold her back. She needed to find her own life, to go her own way. And she had, just like he had thought she would. Her visits to the fortress had slowed, and then stopped completely. Her talks with him at night had gone from every night to five days a week, then three, and then only once or twice a week. He was slowly but surely losing her, just like he always knew he would.

Then the day had come when Jor-El had informed him that his training was over. There was no more he could learn from him, and he could return home. Three years. It had taken him three years, but he had finished. He still wasn't quite sure what the future held or how he would fulfill his destiny, but he knew that he was ready. At least he hoped he was. He had given up the woman of his dreams in order to prepare, so he had better be ready.

Then he had thought of Lois. Lois. No woman had ever touched his life like she had. No one, except for his parents, had ever made a bigger impact in his life. Despite the distance, despite the time apart, and despite the fact that she had likely moved on, he had to give it one last shot. It didn't matter if he made a fool of himself. It was worth it. A shot with Lois was worth anything.

Clark had spent three weeks preparing for his proposal. He had visited Lois' father and sister, tracked down all of Lois' articles (that hadn't been hard, as his mother had saved all of them for him), had them framed, and placed them in a chest he had found in an antique store in Paris. Everything was set. All that remained was Lois' arrival.

The day of her visit to his parents' arrived, and Clark had never been more nervous. He still didn't think he had a chance with her, but he had to try. She was worth it. He had watched from high above as she had driven up the road and felt each emotion that passed through her as she noticed the billboard, read his note, unburied the treasure chest, looked through the frames, and found the ring. Still, as he descended behind her, he had no idea what she was going to say. Was she going to laugh to his face? Was she going to look at him with pity? Was she going to let him down easy? He didn't know. And he was scared to death.

Her answer had surprised him. He had never expected her to say yes. But she had. She wanted to be with him too. She loved him too. He had been in shock. He was still in shock. She loved him. Still. It had been the start of the most wonderful time of his life, the start of a series of days that just kept getting better and better. And why not? The woman of his dreams had agreed to marry him! How many people could say that?

After he had flown her home and they had had dinner with their families, Lois had joined him in the loft, where they had spent the rest of the night catching up. She had fallen asleep in his arms, something that hadn't happened since she had left the fortress. The next morning had been interesting, to say the least. And it wasn't a morning he would soon forget.

* * *

_Sunday, April 27th, 2008_

Clark drifted to consciousness, his dreams slowly fading from his mind. As his mind began to kick into gear, he began his normal morning routine, which consisted of taking a deep breath, stretching his arms for a few moments, rubbing his eyes, shaking his head, and slowly pulling himself out of bed. This time, however, he only made it to the first step. Something was wrong. No, not wrong. Different. The air felt just a little bit warmer than normal.

It was then that his senses began to notice other differences. He could no longer hear the familiar hum of the crystals from the other room. Instead what he heard was a more soothing rhythm of breath. The smell of ice was gone, replaced with the smell of lilies and lilacs. And the usual softness of his comforter had been replaced with a slightly more firm yet also more comforting softness. Where was he?

Clark opened his eyes and looked down at the woman lying on top of him. And then he remembered. He was home.

Content with the knowledge of where he was, Clark closed his eyes and allowed his arms to tighten slightly around the woman that he loved, the woman that would one day wake up beside him every morning. His fiancée. Clark smiled at that word. It was the first time he had used it, even if it had only been used in his thoughts. He liked it, although not as much as the word that would eventually follow it. But Lois was not his wife yet, and Clark wasn't about to ignore the enjoyment to be had in the present by focusing on the future. He had done that one too many times already. Fiancée. Yes, he could definitely get used to it.

Lois began to stir suddenly, and Clark opened his eyes to check on her. She snuggled a bit deeper into his chest then sighed contently. He smiled. She was content. And happy. And when Lois was happy, Clark was happy. And not just because he could feel her happiness, either. He lived to make Lois happy. Feeling her happiness only made it more special.

"I love you, Smallville."

Clark kissed her forehead and whispered in her ear. "I love you too, Lois."

This seemed to pull her from her somewhat dazed state, as she looked up at him in confusion. "Too?"

Now Clark was confused. She didn't love him? "Are you having second thoughts?"

"What?"

"About us. About getting married."

"No. I love you. I want to marry you. I just was wondering why you said 'too'."

Clark was really confused now. Had they really been apart that long, that he couldn't understand what she was talking about? "You told me you loved me. I said 'I love you too'. Did I say something wrong?"

Lois' eyes grew wide and her mouth dropped slightly in surprise. Or realization. He wasn't sure. Why wasn't he sure?

"No. It's just that I didn't say anything."

"What do you mean?"

"I didn't say 'I love you' before you did."

"I heard-"

"No, Clark. I thought it."

"Oh." A beat. "Oh!" Clark checked Lois' wrist. There was no bracelet in sight. "How?"

"I don't know. Let me try it again." Lois closed her eyes and concentrated. After several seconds, she opened them again. "Well?"

He shook his head. "Nothing."

"Hmm…let me try again." Again she closed her eyes and concentrated. Her pause was slightly longer this time, but again she opened her eyes and looked at him expectantly, and again he had to shake his head.

"Still nothing. Maybe I imagined it."

"But that is what I thought."

"I don't know, Lois. Are you thinking and feeling exactly what you felt and thought before?"

"Yes. I'm doing exactly what I was doing before, but it isn't working this time."

"Do you want to try again?"

"I suppose one more time couldn't hurt." Again, she closed her eyes and concentrated, only this time she leaned her head against his chest, putting herself in the exact position she was when it had happened before. A full minute passed. Then two. She looked up expectantly at him, and once again he had to shake his head. "What's wrong with me?"

The frustration was evident in her voice, but frustration wasn't all she was feeling. Clark could feel disappointment, self-rejection, and sadness coming from her as well. But the worst was her pain. He hated it when she was in pain. It tore him up inside.

He pulled her close and kissed her, then pulled away far enough to speak. "Nothing is wrong with you Lois. Nothing. And don't you ever forget that."

"But I-"

He didn't let her finish, interrupting her with another kiss. He held it longer this time. Lois relaxed a little, and then returned the kiss. All of their problems faded as the world narrowed to just the two of them. Clark slowly began to massage her back with his hands, rubbing them up and down, and Lois' hands found his hair. One hand slid a little too low, making contact with her skin, and it slowly inched its way back up and under her shirt.

Clark felt Lois' hands drift down to his own shirt, and he pulled himself up a bit and raised his hands as Lois pulled it off. When she pulled herself back down and captured his lips with hers, all coherent thought left him. The past, the future, all of it faded from view, and Clark was lost in the moment, thinking of nothing but Lois. His emotions and hers blended together till Clark didn't know where his feelings stopped and Lois' began. Instinct took over.

His next rational thought occurred when Lois' hands drifted to his belt and her fingers began to unstrap it. It was only then when he realized where this was going. And a part of him didn't want to stop. But it was too soon. They had only just reconnected. They needed more time together. His mother's conversation with him three years earlier slowly began to play through his mind once again.

"_I wanted to take things further, but your father was as principled then as he is now. He took things slow, and our marriage has benefited because of it. That early foundation helped us through a lot of tough times._"

He needed to stop. They needed to stop. Lois had only just agreed to marry him. He wasn't about to endanger their marriage before it had even begun. He loved her too much to do that. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He had waited three years. He could wait another few months.

Clark tried to pull away, but he couldn't. It was too hard, their feelings too overwhelming. Panic began to set in as his belt hit the floor and his jeans began to be unzipped. This had to stop, before they went too far. _I have to stop. We have to stop. We should wait._

Lois' kisses slowed slightly. He didn't know why she slowed, but the action gave him enough willpower to pull away from her.

She looked at him questioningly. "Are you sure?"

"Sure?"

"Do you really want to wait? I'm willing to do this now. I want to be with you, Smallville. But I'll wait if you want to."

"Yes, I want to wait," Clark said. He would deal with the fact that she had just read his mind later.

Lois smiled lovingly for him, and then she got up and began looking for the shirt he hadn't realized he had taken off her. Finding it, she slipped it back on and returned to his side, helping him get up off the couch.

Once both of them were fully clothed again, they sat back down on the couch and looked at each other.

"So…" Clark began.

"So…" Lois repeated.

Silence.

* * *

Yes, it had definitely been an interesting morning. But it wasn't one he regretted. And for that he was thankful. He had done the right thing. He knew that now. The past six months had been wonderful, and waiting for everything hadn't lessened his relationship with her in the slightest. In fact, it may have even helped it. His mother had been right. Taking a break from the physical side of their relationship had forced them to talk more and get to know each other better than they would have otherwise. It had brought them closer, not further apart.

And it certainly had increased his anticipation of the day that was before him. He was looking forward to their kiss at the altar as much as he was their night together later. And Clark wouldn't have it any other way.


	3. Vows

**Chapter Two - Vows**

"Good morning Mrs. Kent," Lois said in a cheery tone as she descended down the stairs from her fiancé's room. Clark had insisted she stay at the farm for the week and he had been staying at Lex's mansion in the meantime. This on Lois' insistence. She wanted to stick to tradition and have him not see her until she walked down the isle to promise herself to him forever.

"Now, Lois, when are you going to stop calling me that? You're nearly my daughter already. Call me Mom."

"I'm not your daughter yet, Mrs. Kent."

"You've always been a daughter to me, Lois. Your vows today are only making it legal."

"Thank you, Mrs. Kent," she said, emphasizing 'Mrs. Kent' purposely, with a slight twinkle in her eye and a suppressed smirk on her face.

Mrs. Kent shook her head and sighed. "You are hopeless."

"And proud of it!" She arrived at the bottom of the staircase and took a seat at the dinner table. "So how are you doing this fine morning?"

"You are in a good mood this morning. Are you excited about today?"

"Do you even have to ask? I'm marrying Smallville! What's not to be excited about?"

She laughed. "I was the exact same way the morning of my wedding. I literally could not stand still."

Lois looked down at her hand. Her fingers were drumming the table impatiently. She stopped momentarily, only to continue the action absentmindedly when she looked back up at Mrs. Kent. "I know what you mean. I've looked forward to this day for months. I want to savor every moment of it, yet at the same time I want it to be over and have him hold me in his arms." She laughed. "Look at me. I've turned into a sappy romantic."

"Great love can do that to the best of us."

"Are you admitting to being a sappy romantic?"

Mr. Kent chose that moment to enter the kitchen himself. He smiled warmly, walked up his wife, put his hands on her hips, then leaned in and kissed her passionately, seemingly oblivious to Lois' presence.

Lois watched them in awe. They were so great together. She could easily see how their relationship had been meant to be. They were perfect for each other.

Lois waited two minutes, and when their kiss continued, she cleared her throat loudly.

Mr. Kent drew back slowly. "I love you, Martha."

Mrs. Kent smiled happily. "I love you too, Jonathan."

He leaned in and kissed her once more softly before turning around, filling a cup with water, and heading back to the back door. He paused at the door, turned to Lois and winked, and then began whistling as he went back outside.

"Does that answer your question?" Mrs. Kent asked her, her face glowing.

Lois laughed. "Yeah, it does. What was that all about?"

"Oh, Jonathan gets like that when he's happy."

"Ah. I see. I'm guessing you like to keep him happy, then…" she said with a wink.

"Oh I have my ways," Mrs. Kent replied with a wink of her own.

Lois laughed in surprise. "Mrs. Kent! You've got a naughty mind."

"It's only naughty if you aren't married."

"So that's how it works, huh?"

"Yes."

"I see." Lois paused a moment, considering how blunt she should be with her next comment, and wondering how far Mrs. Kent would take this conversation. In the end she decided to just go for it. "So if I wanted to go have my way with Smallville upstairs later, you'd be down with it?"

"As long as it was after two o'clock today, yes."

"Oh, trust me, it would be. We haven't waited this long to blow it a few hours early."

"So you two have waited, then?"

"Yes, we have. Clark wanted to, and I want what he does. I haven't even kissed him in four months."

"Wow. Clark's taking this more serious than Jonathan even did."

"Yeah, he told me about you two. He said you had a conversation with him about waiting, and it helping your marriage."

"I did. I actually had the conversation with you, too, though, in a way."

Lois didn't remember any such conversation. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"Clark was in your body at the time."

"Oh. Wow. You talked to him about this that long ago? I'm surprised it has stayed with him this long."

"You know Clark. He's always been ruled by his heart. And I think that conversation struck a cord in his heart. Plus the photographic memory doesn't hurt, either."

"I suppose you're right. I think that's why I love him so much. He follows his heart, and that almost always leads him to do the right thing. Though he can be really naive sometimes." She paused for a moment, and then smiled brightly. "But that's what he has me for, right?"

"Yes, and I'm glad he found you, Lois. I knew from almost the first moment I met you that you would be good for Clark. You really bring out the best in him."

Lois smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Mrs. Kent. That means a lot."

"Your welcome, Lois. Now, we have a wedding to get you ready for. Are you ready to get started?"

Lois took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and focused herself. Today was her wedding day, and she planned on savoring every moment of it. A large smile spread across her face. "Yes. Yes I am."

* * *

Clark laughed at himself and undid his tie for the sixth time. He just wasn't cut out to tie them. He never had been, and he likely never would be. But his mother had been there to tie it for him for the majority of his life, and Lois had been there to help him with it recently. But neither would be helping him today. He wouldn't see Lois until she walked down the isle, and his mother would be with Lois for the next couple of hours. So he was on his own this time.

"You never could tie a tie, Clark," Lex said with a smile as he walked up to him. "Here, let me help you with that." He put Clark's tie around his own neck, fiddled with it for a few seconds, loosened the knot a bit, and took it off his neck and put it around Clark's.

"You make it look so easy."

"I have been tying ties since I was five. It just takes practice. Or in your case, extreme luck."

Clark laughed. "No kidding." Lex finished tightening the tie and Clark looked at him with gratefulness. "Thank you. I'd have likely spent another hour working on it if you hadn't come along."

Lex nodded, a smile on his own face. "Nervous?"

"More excited than nervous. I've been waiting for this for so long, and now it is finally here. And I feel like I'm going to burst. I want the day to be over and for it to never end at the same time. And I just can't wait to see Lois walking down the isle."

"I'll admit, I never saw that coming, you and Lois."

"Neither did I. She kind of took me by storm, if you know what I mean."

"Oh I do. I definitely do."

Clark studied Lex for a moment. He seemed to be serious, but then Lex was always hard to read. Still, there was something about his look that was different, almost as if the mere thought of the woman in question put a fire in his eyes. It reminded him of a certain farmboy he knew, although the fire in his eyes was a little more literal.

He looked a bit closer, and his suspicions were confirmed. Yes, there was definitely someone in Lex's life, and by the looks of it she had taken his heart.

"Who is she?"

"What?"

"Come on Lex. I know you. Your eyes don't sparkle over just anyone. Who is she?"

"My eyes were sparkling?"

"Not were. Are."

"I've got it worse than I thought. I think I might be in love with her."

Clark's eyes widened. For Lex, that was a huge thing to say, for he had only truly loved a few people in his life. And it had rarely turned out very well.

"With who, Lex?"

"Well let's just say that if things turn out the way I hope they will then you and I will be a lot closer than we are."

"What do you mean?"

"I've always thought of you as a brother, Clark. But I think I could settle with us being cousins."

It took Clark a few moments to figure out what Lex was saying. And then it hit him like a train filled with Kryptonite. "Oh. When did this happen?"

"Last week."

"She really did take you by storm, didn't she?"

"Yes she has. And I still cannot believe she wants to go out with me."

"You do realize that if you break her heart, my soon-to-be wife will kill you."

"I have considered that, yes." He laughed nervously, and then took on a more serious expression. "Clark, I am not the man you are. I have tried to be, but I'm just not. I may be your best man, but you will always be the better man between us. I don't think I'm good enough for her, and I am afraid I _will_ break her heart. Or worse, hurt her."

Clark put an arm around his friend and thought about everything that had happened since he had known him. In the beginning, Clark had had nothing but respect for the man. He had befriended Clark, showered him with gifts (which his father had of course made him return), and given him some good advice. He had seen the glimmer of darkness in him, but his father had always taught him to look for the good in people, not the bad. And that is what he had done initially. Slowly, over the years, he had learned things about Lex that had shocked him, and he had just as slowly begun to wonder whether he could really trust him. And then he had found out that Lex had been investigating him all along, even after he had told him his obsession had ended. And that had shaken their friendship to the very core. Clark had never believed he would be able to trust Lex again. He had thought their friendship was over forever.

But Clark had been wrong, both about their friendship and about being able to trust Lex. Lex had appealed to Clark a few weeks after Clark had returned from his hiatus in the cave wall, where Jor-El had attempted to force Clark to face his destiny. Lex had shown him the room that had once been full of information about Clark and was now empty, save for a crushed Porsche, and had vowed that his pursuit of Clark's life was over once and for all. Clark had still been wary of Lex then, but had decided to give him one last chance. And Lex had not wasted it.

Their newly reestablished friendship had been a bit rocky at first, especially when Lex had started to go after the stones. Clark knew that he wasn't intentionally pursuing his past, but that it just happened that his past was connected to many of the more bizarre and unique things in the world. Still, he couldn't be sure what Lex would do if he ever found out about his powers. And if he had gotten his hands on the stones he would have found out. So it had been hard to trust him.

And then Clark had united the stones and started his Kryptonian training. That had been an interesting time for their friendship. Clark was gone for a month, then back for a day and two nights, and then gone for another month. And he couldn't exactly explain where he ran off to for a month at a time. Not to Lex, at least. He didn't know about his heritage, and thus telling him that he was studying Kryptonian lore was out of the question. He had to tell him, and everyone else, something, though. He had, after all, left everything at the drop of a hat. His friends did deserve some type of explanation. And he had given them one.

The explanation had been fairly simple, and had actually been Lois' idea. He had told them that he was searching for information about his biological parents, and that it was something he had to do on his own. He needed to find out who he was, and his biological parents did play a role in that. Lex had, of course, initially offered to help him, but Clark had assured him that this was something he needed to do on his own. The search to find out about his parents was as important to him as the information itself. He didn't quite know where he fit in the world, and he needed to figure that out.

Lex had completely understood. He had told Clark that he wanted to know where he fit in the world as well, and that understanding his own parents was important for him too. He thought he had known his father, but then he had gone to prison and changed completely. He was no longer the man he had been before. The knowledge that Lionel Luthor could change for the better had allowed Lex to understand that he could change too. That knowledge had helped him understand himself better, and had shown him what he was capable of. And he hoped that Clark's journey would give him similar clarity. The conversation had impressed Clark greatly, and it was then that he had begun to have hope that Lex truly could be turned around.

They had kept in touch off and on after that. Clark's visits back to the world were spent mostly with Lois or his parents, but he did stop by his friend's house to catch up every few months. With each visit Clark became more and more convinced that Lex could truly be trusted. He continued to follow his father's lead and began charity work, fed those in need, and focused LuthorCorp's research; not on profit but on products that would benefit society. He wasn't changing the world, but he was making a difference. And he was excited about it. And that impressed Clark more than anything.

Then tragedy had struck, and Lex's newfound path away from darkness had been tested. His father, whom he had grown very close to over the two and a half years since his release from prison, had been killed in a drive by shooting. Lionel had been on a food drive, personally passing out meals to those that could not afford it, when a gang, angry about the drop in drug traffic in their neighborhood, had begun unleashing automatic weapons on the unsuspecting community. Eighteen people had been killed, including Lionel Luthor.

Lex had been devastated yet furious, and had very nearly slipped back into his old ways. Despite the size of the massacre, the police were unable to track down the people responsible, and Lex had taken matters into his own hands, tracking down each and every member of the gang himself, until he found the ones responsible.

Lois had contacted Clark the moment she found out about what had happened, and he had immediately left the fortress to support his friend. And Jor-El had let him, and even given him permission to stay for two weeks to handle the situation, which had surprised him.

Clark had stopped at the mansion first, and then stopped at his penthouse in Metropolis, but he didn't find Lex at either place. When he heard what the police had, or rather, hadn't, found out about the killers, Clark had panicked and flew high above the city, listening for Lex's voice. Locating it, he had flown to Lex as fast as he was able and found him with a gun in his hand, threatening the people responsible for the shooting. Clark had walked in on the middle of the conversation.

"_You killed innocent people, my father included, for the sake of money. He was only trying to help, and you threw it in his face and murdered him for it. You deserve to die for what you have done. And I deserve to kill you. You should die at my hands._"

Then Lex had cocked his pistol and held it to the first perpetrator's head. Clark had been about to go into super mode, attempting to get to the gun before Lex killed the man, but he stopped abruptly when he saw what happened next. Lex lowered the gun, put it under the man's chin in order to look him in the eye, and then spoke.

"_But I am not going to kill you. Do you know why? Because my father would not have wanted me to. Your life is going to be spared because of the man that you shot down._

"_I cannot prove that you three are the ones responsible for the death of eighteen people. I know you are, but I cannot prove it. But what I can do is make your lives miserable. I will use the entirety of LuthorCorp's resources to clean up this neighborhood and root out any and all gang activity. Being a Dread is not going to be very fun or profitable in the foreseeable future. You have taken away something from my life. And now I am going to take something away from yours. Your very identity._"

With that, Lex had turned around and walked away, leaving all three criminals tied up on the floor and in total shock. And it was in that moment that Clark knew once and for all that Lex had truly changed. He had faced the biggest challenge in his life and had passed. Any reservations Clark may have had about his friendship with Lex had faded in that instant.

Clark had spent the next two weeks with his friend, giving him comfort when he needed it, going with him to his father's funeral, and generally just being there for him. Lex had never been a man known for weakness, and he had kept up that façade in front of everyone, showing very little emotion throughout the ceremony and in the days that followed. Everyone, that is, except Clark. Twice while Clark was alone with him, Lex's emotional walls had broken, and the tears had fallen. And both times Clark had been there to give him an arm and a hug.

Their friendship had never been the same after those two weeks. It had deepened and strengthened to a point far beyond any friendship either of them had ever had before. His relationship with Lois was one thing. She was his soulmate, and he was very close to her. But he had something with Lex that he could never have with Lois, just as Lois had something with Chloe that she could never have with him. A best friend. There was just something about a friendship with another man that could not be replaced by any other relationship with a member of the opposite sex, no matter how close that relationship was. No matter how well Lois grew to know him, she would still always be a woman. At least he hoped she always would be, as stranger things had happened in the past.

About a month after the incident, three bodies were found beaten to death in the same park that the shooting had taken place. The police had later determined that the deaths had occurred at the hands of the Dreads themselves. Lex hadn't lied when he said he would devote LuthorCorp's resources to cleaning up the neighborhood. He had, and drug trafficking had decreased to almost nothing in only a few weeks. The Dreads, angry with the three men responsible for their decreased profits, had killed them. It was the final act of a desperate group, and a few weeks later the Dread presence in Metropolis disappeared completely.

Clark's visits to the Luthor mansion became increasingly frequent in the subsequent months, till it reached the point where he never went back to the fortress without first at least stopping by to say hi to Lex.

Through it all, Lex had proven to be a very reliable and worthy friend. And Clark could not do anything else but be the same in return. He was a good man, even if he still had a small hint of darkness, and Clark wasn't about to let him down.

"Lex, I have every confidence that you will not hurt her. You are a good man. And I know Chloe sees that. She would not want to be with you if it were otherwise. You have to have faith that when the tests come, you will pull through. And I'll be here too, if you ever need a different perspective or the encouragement to do what is right."

"I know you will, Clark. That is why I am so thankful for your friendship. You help keep me aware of the fact that there are truly good people in the world. And Chloe helps me see that too. I'm just not there yet. But I hope that with both of you there to help me, I'll arrive eventually. And that is why, when Chloe asked me to go out with her, I said yes."

"Wait a minute. She asked you?"

* * *

"I'll leave you girls to finish up and have some alone time before the ceremony. I have to go meet Jonathan now."

Lois smiled at her future mother-in-law and nodded. "Thank you, Mrs. Kent."

Mrs. Kent looked at her sternly for a few moments, and put forth her most authoritative voice. "We are going to have another talk later." Her stern manner cracked slightly, and a small smile slipped across her face.

"Yes, Mrs. Kent," Lois said with a smirk, to which Mrs. Kent sighed, smiled again, and left.

Once Mrs. Kent had left, Chloe looked at Lois quizzically and asked, "What was that all about?"

"Oh, Mrs. Kent wants me to call her 'Mom', not 'Mrs. Kent'."

"Ah. And you call her 'Mrs. Kent' anyway just to play with her."

"Exactly."

"Are you ever going to grow up?"

"I don't plan on it. It's too much fun messing with people."

All three girls laughed at her comment, and Lois joined them with a chuckle of her own. She was happy. Truly and blissfully happy. She had never been happier in her life. Excluding Mrs. Kent, all of the women in her life were here, with her, on her special day. It was a perfect moment. She wanted to freeze it in time and remember it forever. Life could not get much better than this.

Lois took a moment to reflect on the three women in front of her. On her left was Lana, the most unlikely of friend. Not many people could say they were on good terms with their fiancé's ex. And Lois was more than on good terms with Lana. They were good friends. She had even been a bridesmaid in Lana's wedding three years ago. There were no hard feelings between them, as Lana was happy with Jason and Lois was happy with Clark. Each was happy for the other.

On her right stood Chloe, her best friend and only cousin. It was weird to think that Chloe's supposed death had been the force that had brought Clark into her life, even if she hadn't seen their introduction as a positive at the time. Not completely, anyway. Her first face to face with him had been at least partially pleasant, considering the condition of his clothing at the time.

Chloe had always been the continual force in her life. She was her only constant. When Lois needed someone, Chloe had always been there to give her support, even when she couldn't admit to herself that she needed it. When everything else in her life fell apart, she could always count on Chloe to be there to cheer her up. Chloe was her rock, and, for most of her life, the one good thing about her life. And she would always be apart of her life, no matter what happened in the future.

And then there was Lucy, standing dead and center. Her sister. Gawd, she loved her, more than life itself. And she was so proud of her. She had gotten her life back on track and accepted the consequences of her past actions with courage. It had been a long road to redemption, but she had taken it with passion, and Lois could not have been more proud of her. What's more, since her coming of age and subsequent release from her father's "chain of command", the two of them had truly become sisters. Real sisters. Not mother-figure/sister, but sister/sister.

Just thinking about it brought tears of happiness to her eyes. Her life was quickly falling into place, and everything she had ever dreamed of was coming true. She had a close-knit group of good friends (the fact that most of those friends were family did not matter), her sister loved _and_ liked her and she loved _and_ liked her in return, she had finished college and had a promising career in a field she loved, and she was marrying the man of her dreams. She had never believed her life could ever turn out so well, and she was so very thankful that it had.

"Whatcha thinkin' about, big sis?"

"Have you ever had a moment where you wondered how your life could get any better?"

Her three girls smiled at her, and Lucy drew her in for a hug, and then kissed her on the cheek. "I'm having one of them right now, Lo'. My favorite sister is getting married! To quite a catch, too. Maybe I should have flirted with him a bit more back when I first met him."

Lois laughed. "Right, like that would be possible."

"That wouldn't be a challenge, would it, sis? 'Cause you know, us Lane's never back down from a challenge."

"You've got that right. And no, that was not a challenge. I'd rather you not flirt with my husband at the reception. Your attentions attracted enough of his eyes the first time around."

"Come on, Lo'. You know Clark only noticed me back then because I was a more open version of you. There's never been anyone but you. He's always only loved you. You two are like…destiny."

"I'm sure Lana would have something to say about that. Right, Lana?"

"No, Lucy is right, Lois. I don't think what me and Clark had could ever be dubbed 'love'. It was too self serving to be love. Nothing like what you and Clark have, or what Jason and I have. For Clark, there has always only been you. You two _are_ like destiny. And I saw it the first moment I met you."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. I even thought you two were dating, and told Clark as much. He denied it outright, of course, but I could still tell."

Lois laughed, and the three girls looked at her oddly. "What's so funny?" Chloe asked.

"I just think it is funny that all of you saw the chemistry between Clark and I before either of us did."

"Well it was obvious," Lucy put in.

"Yes it was," Lana and Chloe added at the same time.

"I just hope it lasts."

"Lois Joanne Lane! What did I tell you about this?" Lucy exclaimed, obviously more than a little angry with her sister.

"I know, Luce. But what if I'm not cut out to be a wife? or a mother? What if I let him down?"

"You are _not_ going to let him down. You will be a great wife, and if children do enter the picture, you will be a great mother. And that is final." Lucy's voice was firm and unwavering.

"But-"

"No! Lois, listen to me. I love you. Chloe loves you. Lana loves you. The Kent's love you. And Clark loves you. And all of us know you will be a wonderful wife and mother. We can't all be wrong."

"She's right, Lois," Lana put in. "We all know you will do wonderfully. And you shouldn't diminish the happiness of this day with thoughts like these."

A knock on the door interrupted any conversation that might have followed, and all four heads turned towards the sound.

"May I come in?" It was the General. Lois sighed. Great. She really didn't need another reason to be upset. "I'd like to talk to my daughter before the ceremony begins."

"Yes, Daddy. Come on in. We're decent," Lucy called out.

The General opened the door and walked in. He had on the traditional black tux and tie, which gave him a gentler air than his normal military garb. He looked good.

"Can I talk to her alone?"

Her three bridesmaids nodded, and began to leave the room. Her maid-of-honor turned to her before leaving and gave her an encouraging smile. "Be happy, sis. This is your day. Remember that. Love you."

Lois watched as her girls left the room, then prepared herself for the coming conversation. She really didn't need another lecture at the moment.

The General walked up to her and took her hands. "Hi Lo'."

"Hi Daddy."

"Are you excited?"

"Yes."

"I was too when I married your mother. She was one of the three best things that have ever happened to me."

"What?" Was the General admitting that she was important to him?

"I'm proud of you, Lo'."

"Really?" It was too good to be true. It had to be.

"Yes, I am very proud of you. I'm proud of you for finishing school and working so hard to do so. I'm proud of you for waiting patiently for love and for making good choices. And I'm proud of you for choosing such a great man to spend your life with. You deserve the best, and I'm glad that you have found it."

The tears flowed gently down her face as the happiness of earlier overflowed beyond the point that she thought possible. "Oh Daddy," she managed to say through her tears, and pulled herself closer to him, hugging him tightly.

"I'm here, baby." He wrapped his arms around her and cried with her. "I'm so happy for you. I love you, my little Lo'."

The words were music to her ears. They were the words she had been waiting to hear for twenty-two years. Her Daddy loved her. How much more wonderful could a day get?

Chloe chose that moment to come barging into the room. "The ceremony's about to…Oh. I suppose they can wait. You both take your time." She turned to leave, then paused in the doorway. "Just don't wait too long. You don't want Clark to start to panic. You did make him sit through _Runaway Bride_, remember?" With that, she left the room and closed the door behind her.

Lois closed her eyes and took in the moment. This was the happiest day of her life. Then she pulled away slowly, even though she really didn't want to. She had another man to meet. And he loved her too.

She wiped her eyes dry, then looked her father in the eye. "I suppose I don't look very well now, huh?"

"Lo', you are always beautiful. And today you are going to take Clark's breath away."

She smiled. "Thank you."

Her Daddy nodded and offered her his arm. "Shall we?"

Lois answered with her arm and went out to meet her soon-to-be husband. This day just kept getting better and better.

* * *

Clark rubbed his thumbs and fingers together nervously. It was a trick his father had taught him just before Lana's wedding. The rule of thumb, no pun intended, in a wedding was to keep your hands to your sides. Crossing your arms, as well as putting your hands in your pockets, was out of the question. But rubbing your fingers together allowed you to release energy without looking conspicuous. And Clark was forever thankful for the tip, as at the moment he felt like floating on the clouds.

Clark glanced down to make sure he wasn't about to do just that, then closed his eyes and focused, willing himself to fall back to the ground. He looked around the church auditorium nervously, checking to make sure no one had seen his sudden burst of supernatural power, even though it had only been a few inches. Thankfully, all eyes were glued to Laura, Lana's two-year-old daughter, who was slowly but surely dropping flowers down the center isle. She was a very cute brown haired girl, a near spitting image of Lana as a child, with Jason's green tinted hazel eyes. When she reached the end of the isle, she looked into her basket and noticed that it was still filled with flowers, and immediately dumped the rest of the flowers on the floor. This caused a serious of chuckles to emerge from the guests.

As Laura took her place in front of her mother, Clark's anticipation increased tenfold. This was it. Everyone had entered, save two people. And though he liked Sam Lane, he wasn't the one that had set Clark's heart racing, nor was he the one who's own heart was racing in stride, beat for beat. And he certainly wasn't the one who could take Clark's breath away with a simple glance. A glance that Clark had been waiting to see all day.

Silence took the room for a few moments, and then the organs began to play Felix Mendelssohn's _Wedding March_. But neither the author, the song, nor how he knew the names of either was on his mind. Only one thought occupied him: Lois. He closed his eyes for a few seconds, resisting the urge to take a peak through the doors. He had promised Lois he would wait, and he was going to.

Every guest stood, and all eyes shifted to the two large doors at the back of the church. The doors cracked open slightly, and Clark saw a small glimpse of white. His heart rate and hers increased even further. She was coming.

The doors opened fully, and Clark's breath left him. _Wow._ It was the only word capable of describing her. She was beautiful. An angel. His angel. His wonderful, beautiful, amazing, breathtaking, awe-inspiring, angel. _Wow._

Lois' smile was ear to ear, imitating his own smile, and it took his breath away. The distance closed between them as her father escorted her down the isle. With each step, Clark could feel their connection increase, and the depth of his happiness grew in stride with hers. Forty feet. Thirty. Twenty. Ten. She stopped.

"Who gives this woman to be wedded to this man?"

"I do, without regrets."

Sam Lane took his seat on Clark's right, and Lois closed the distance between them. She offered him her hands, and he took them happily. Electricity sparked at the contact, and Clark took in the warm feeling of her skin against his.

"_You are so beautiful,_" Clark said without words, using the technique the two of them had learned shortly after that first morning six months ago. Closeness was the secret. Clark had to be both physically and emotionally near Lois, and Lois had to in return be both physically and emotionally near Clark. Touching and focusing on her emotions had been all that was needed to bridge the gap between their minds, and over the last several months it had become like second nature to both of them.

"_I love you, Smallville._"

"_I love you too, Lois._"

"_I want to kiss you._"

"_I know. I want to kiss you too. Only a little while longer and we'll be married._"

"_We're going to be married!_"

"_We are! This is the best day of my life._"

"_Mine too. I've never been so happy._"

"_I love you, Lois._"

"_I love you too, Clark._"

The conversation between them continued as the minister droned on. Clark filled her in on his day, and gave her the scoop on his tie troubles. Lois in return told him about her day, about her conversation with his mother, her preparations for this moment, and what her father had told her before she came in. Clark laughed with her softly when he was told what his mother had permitted them to do in their bed later today, rejoiced with her when she related her little moments of joy as she was getting ready, and cried with her in happiness when she shared her father's words with him.

The minister finished his spiel on all the things that Lois and Clark already understood and instructed the couple to recite their vows. Clark went first.

"Lois, you mean the world to me. You are my heart, you are my strength, and you are my life. I love you today, and I will love you forever. Through pain, joy, sickness, health, good times and bad, I commit my life to you from this day forward. I promise to love you, cherish you, and hold only you until the day that I die. Though the foundations of the world fall away, still I will be yours, forever and always. You are my angel, and I love you more than life itself. I give my-"

Clark's vows were interrupted by a loud cough by the minister, and Clark looked at him questioningly.

"_I think he wants you to say it out loud, Smallville,_" Lois said with a smile.

Clark's eyes widened in realization. "_I wasn't saying it out loud?_"

"_No, you weren't. It was amazing, though. I'd love to hear you say it again._"

Clark issued a silent apology to the minister, and repeated his vows with as much conviction as the first time. "…You are my angel, and I love you more than life itself. I give my heart and life to you now and join myself to you forever."

"Clark, Smallville, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I look back at my life and cannot imagine it without you. You complete me, give me strength, help me cry, and make me happier than I ever thought possible. I love you, and I commit right now to always love you, always cherish you, always be honest with you, and always cleave to you, and only you, from this day forward, and till death do us part. You are my Smallville, and you will always be. And I am honored to take on your name, now and forever."

Clark and Lois smiled brightly, and squealed softly, barely containing their excitement. It took all the effort Clark was capable of to keep his feet squarely on the ground.

"_That was amazing, Lois. Thank you._"

"_You're amazing, Smallville. And I meant every word._"

The first few chords of _Iris_ began to play, and Jason and Lana left their places on either side of them, as Laura took her "auntie" Chloe's hand, and together they stepped out onto the platform and began to sing.

"_It's our song!_" Lois said as the first few words rang out.

_And I'd give up forever to touch you__  
'Cause I know that you feel me somehow  
__You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be  
__And I don't want to go home right now_

"_I want to go home with you forever, Lois._"

_And all I can taste is this moment  
__And all I can breathe is your life  
__and sooner or later it's over  
__I just don't want to miss you tonight_

"_After today, it will be forever, Smallville._"

_And I don't want the world to see me  
__'Cause I don't think that they'd understand  
__When everything's made to be broken  
__I just want you to know who I am_

"_You are my everything, Lois. I love you._"

"_I love you too._"

_And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming  
__Or the moment of truth in your lies  
__When everything feels like the movies  
__Yeah, you bleed just to know you're alive_

_And I don't want the world to see me  
__'Cause I don't think that they'd understand  
__When everything's made to be broken  
__I just want you to know who I am_

"_We are so dancing to this song later._"

"_I wouldn't give up a dance with you for the world, my angel._"

_And I don't want the world to see me  
__'Cause I don't think that they'd understand  
__When everything's made to be broken  
__I just want you to know who I am_

_And I don't want the world to see me  
__'Cause I don't think that they'd understand  
__When everything's made to be broken  
__I just want you to know who I am_

_I just want you to know who I am  
__I just want you to know who I am  
__I just want you to know who I am_

The last few words of the duet faded, and Lana returned to her position in between Lucy and Chloe, while Jason returned to his position in between Lex and Pete.

"Do we have the rings?"

Lex handed Clark Lois' ring, and Lucy handed Lois Clark's ring. They faced each other.

"Clark, repeat after me. I, Clark, give you this ring as an eternal symbol of my love and commitment to you."

Clark repeated the minister's words and slid the ring onto Lois' left ring finger.

"_This is my mother's ring!_"

"_I know. You can thank your father for that one. He offered it to me when I asked for your hand._"

The minister repeated his request with Lois, and Lois heartily complied, sliding a golden band onto Clark's finger.

"You have exchanged your vows, promised your love to each other, and sealed your promise with the rings. By the power vested in me by the state of Kansas, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Clark, you may kiss your bride."

"_I've waited for this moment my entire life._"

"_So have I. Well, kiss me already, Smallville!_"

Clark smiled, leaned in slowly, and kissed her softly. His hands drifted to her waist, and her hands drifted to his neck. The kiss deepened, and Clark lifted her off the ground and into his arms, then twirled her around excitedly and set her back down again. Applause and laughter could be heard from the guests.

"I now pronounce to you, for the very first time, Mr. and Mrs. Clark Kent."

Clark smiled widely, took his new bride by the hand, and led her down the center isle. Clark shot Lois a quick idea, and Lois nodded in reply. Half way down the isle, the couple stopped, shouted a loud "Woohoo!" with arms raised high, and then ran down the isle towards the open doors as husband and wife.


	4. Dealing

**Chapter Three - Dealing**

Lois looked at the space beside her and sighed. She really hadn't thought it would be this hard. She thought she was stronger than this. But the hard reality was staring her in the face. Or, more literally, wasn't. It was her first night as Lois Lane Kent, and her better half was not with her. It should not be like this. They had waited so long and so patiently. Clark should be with her, making love to her. But he was not there. He was gone.

A tear escaped her left eye and began exploring the contours of her face. It was true what she had told him in her vows only six hours earlier. He helped her cry. When she was with him she did not need to hold back her emotions. He felt what she felt regardless of what masquerade her face put on. There was no reason not to cry. Her tears did not diminish his love; it increased it, just as being open with him always did. She could be weak in front of him and not be ashamed. It had taken her some time to realize it, but the freedom the knowledge brought was well worth the journey to get it. Weakness was not always a weakness. Sometimes it was a strength. With Clark, her weakness was a strength. For every time she allowed herself to open up to him and show him who she really was she became stronger for it in the end. Each tear she shed joined a stream of life that helped her grow stronger.

A second tear fell, and Lois let it. She let the emotions come. Sadness, then disappointment. Then anger. She was angry. This was supposed to be a happy day. The best day of her life. Instead, Clark had spoiled it, leaving her alone. She wanted him beside her. She wanted to feel his arm around her waist, feel his kisses and tender touches, and take in his beautiful and captivating blue eyes. She wanted to know what it felt like to give herself completely to him, and to have him give himself completely to her in return. But most of all, she just wanted to be close to him, to tell him how she was feeling. He knew how she felt, but telling him made it different, made it special. It brought her closer to him. And in the end, that is all she really wanted. To be closer to him. Anything to be closer to him.

Lois allowed the tears to continue to flow and the anger to continue to build. Her thoughts drifted to the events of the day, and her emotions drifted from happiness (for how beautiful it had been) to anger (for Clark taking away from how perfect it could have been). It had been such an amazing day. Every moment had been special. Every moment, that is, except for the one in front of her. It had been a long road to get to this day, and both of them had been through so much. They deserved for it to be perfect. She deserved for it to be perfect.

Instead, Clark had left her in their honeymoon suite in Metropolis. Alone. It wasn't fair. It wasn't right. And it should be different.

Her anger broke suddenly, and she was left to her tears. She let herself fall from her sitting position in her (which should have been their) bed and buried her head in the pillow, pulling the two thousand dollar comforter around her in the process. But the warmth of the blankets could not replace the warmth of the man she wanted beside her, and the intensity of her tears increased.

Her crying continued for what seemed like an eternity, even though it was perhaps only a few minutes. She unloaded it all. All her frustration, all her sadness, and all her longing drifted from her with each tear.

Lois felt a headache begin to come on and knew then that the time for her tears was nearing an end. She focused her thoughts on all the happy moments that had lead up to this point, trying to improve her mood enough to dry the water wells in her eyes. Perhaps reflecting on all the good that the day had brought her would help her deal with the bad.

* * *

_Six Hours Earlier_

"Okay, this is the last one. Lois, I want you and Clark to stand face to face, arms around each other. Good. Now lean in so that you are nose to nose and can see each other's eyes. Alright, now hold that."

The photographer lifted up the camera to take the picture, and Clark turned to him questioningly. "You mean I can't kiss her?"

Lois laughed at Clark, then took a good jab at his left forearm with her fist. He feigned hurt, rubbing his arm with his hand and giving her the cutest pained expression. Far too cute for her to resist. She leaned in and captured his lips with hers, wiping the fake frown off his face and replacing it with a real smile. Her hands drifted to his hair, and she felt his hands close around her back and glide up to her shoulders, sending shivers down her spine.

Lois withdrew her lips slowly, opening her eyes and gazing into Clark's. His eyes were full of love and excitement, with a mixture of mischief. He winked at her, and then said loudly enough for everyone to hear, "Now that's more like it."

Lois laughed again, then pulled herself from his embrace and took a step back, crossing her arms in front of her and shaking her head at him. He took a step towards her, attempting to kiss her yet again, and Lois pulled her left hand out from under her right arm and placed it in between her and Clark, turning her head defiantly away from him and towards the photographer, who was taking pictures a mile a minute.

Clark did not give up, however, taking her extended hand in his own and gently rubbing circles into her palm with his thumb. When she turned in surprise, he leaned in quickly and planted another kiss on her lips, still rubbing her palm with his thumb. Her eyes widened at his quick thinking, and then she gave in completely. She would let him win. This time. She was enjoying his affections too much to make him stop.

Lois freed her right arm from between her chest and his and wrapped it around his head, letting her fingers drift to his ear as she gently began to circle it with her fingers. He may have won, but there was no way she was letting him have all the fun. He groaned slightly at her touch and she smiled through his lips in victory.

"_Stop, Lois._"

"_You stop._"

He pulled away slowly and her smile faltered. She hadn't expected him to give up that easily, and she really hadn't wanted him to. He took both her hands in his, then turned to face the photographer.

"How did you want us to stand again?"

"Don't worry about it. Your poses are so much better. I have all the shots I need."

Clark nodded, turned back to Lois, and smiled in apology. "_Sorry. If you kept that up, I wasn't going to make it till tonight. I wasn't going to make it another two minutes._"

"_Ah, so you do have another weakness,_" Lois thought with a wink.

He smiled. "_Lois, you have always been my greatest weakness and my greatest strength. I love you._"

"_I love you too, Clark._"

Lois leaned in and kissed her husband one last time, then turned towards the door, keeping her right hand in his. "How about we go meet our guests?"

"That sounds like a great idea. We've kept them waiting long enough."

Together they made their way through the church and to their car to make the drive to the farm, where the reception was being held. Lex was waiting at her classic red Mustang convertible, the same car her father had given her when she turned eighteen.

Lois looked at him questioningly "Lex? Why haven't you left with the rest of the wedding party?"

"I'm here to drive you two to the reception. And I won't take no for an answer. Jason's already taken my car over, so you two really don't have a choice."

Clark smiled appreciatively to Lex, opened the door for Lois, and got in after her. The arm that naturally drifted around Lois' shoulders did not go unnoticed, and she smiled happily. She liked it.

Lois sighed happily and let her head fall onto Clark's shoulder, snuggling up closer to him and taking his other hand in both of hers. This was perfect. Frankly, she didn't care how long the drive took. She was content where she was, snuggled up to and in the arms of her husband. This day just kept getting better and better.

* * *

Lois sighed. It sure hadn't stayed that way. The wet pillow she was resting on could attest to that. It may have began a happy day, and become an even happier day as the hours rolled on, but it sure wasn't happy now. She was being silly, she knew. Clark's destiny was greater than the two of them. He was meant to help those in need, and she loved that he cared so much. That was why she had let him go. When people needed him, she wanted him to go. Just not tonight.

Tonight was supposed to be about her and Clark, and just her and Clark. Perhaps it was selfish, but that didn't mean it was unreasonable. One night. She had only wanted one night. They had only been able to afford to take two days off for their honeymoon. Clark had to return to work on Monday, and she had a story to turn in on Tuesday which still had a few missing pieces. The honeymoon suite Lex had given them as a wedding present was only good for one night, and Sunday would be spent unpacking and organizing everything for their new apartment in Metropolis. So in reality, all they really had for their honeymoon was tonight. And it should have been special. But it wasn't, because Clark wasn't there. And she had no idea how long he would be gone. Was one night with him to herself really too much to ask for?

Lois sighed softly. Her tears had stopped and her anger was gone completely. She didn't blame Clark. She didn't blame him in the slightest. She loved him because of his caring heart, not in spite of it. She wouldn't want him to be anything else than what he was already. But she still missed him. She still wanted him beside her.

But then so did he. It hit her then. She had been so overwhelmed with her own feelings that she hadn't been able to filter through his. _Oh gawd, what have I done to him?_ All thoughts of herself drifted from her as she focused on the man that mattered to her more than anything. Even herself.

She didn't know what was going on, but whatever it was, it was big. Clark was dealing with something even harder than what she had been going through. He needed her. He needed her love, he needed her support, and he needed her strength. Lois quickly pulled herself out of the bed and ran to her purse. She didn't bother sifting through it, instead dumping the contents on the floor and pushing all the unimportant items aside. She found the small black box she was looking for, opened it, and took out the single most important object she owned. She unfastened the bracelet, slipped it on her wrist, and fastened it tightly.

"_Clark, I'm here. I love you. You can do this._" She focused her thoughts completely and totally on him, lending him all of her strength and pouring out all of her love. She still didn't know what was happening, but it really didn't matter. When Clark needed her, she would be there. And when Lois really needed him, she knew he would be there too.

* * *

There were some days that Clark hated his life. He had accepted himself as who he was long ago, and it had been Lois who had helped him do so. She accepted him as he was, and she always had. But now it was Lois that made him wish he was normal. It was Lois that made him wish he didn't care so much.

Clark loved Lois, and more than he had ever loved anyone. He loved her with his whole mind, body, and soul. Her slightest smile could brighten up his worst day, and a single tear could break his heart all over again. She was his life. She was his strength. She was his all. And now she was his wife. Yet he still had to leave her to save someone else. How was that fair?

As Clark flew towards the sounds of the cries of pain, he was reminded of Lois' own words on the subject of flying. "It's better than sex." Thinking of her words made him wince, as it made him think about what she had said next, when he had asked her if it was even better than sex with him. "I don't know. I haven't had sex with you, Smallville. Maybe someday you'll get to find out." Today was supposed to be that day, and that knowledge brought back to light who and what he had given up to go save the day. Couldn't Metropolis survive without him for just one night? Was that really to much to ask for? Couldn't he have just one night to spend alone with his wife?

A rush of pain flooded him, and Clark nearly fell out of the sky. Lois was hurting. He had to go to her. She needed him. He turned towards the sound of her heartbeat, then hesitated, as the cries of the people behind him echoed in his ears. They needed him too.

The conflict inside him built as he struggled with the decision he had to make. Comfort the one he loved or help the many in need. The age old question raged in his mind, and he knew what the correct choice was. But he didn't want to make it. He wanted to go to Lois. He wanted to go to his wife.

Then it hit him. If he went back to her, he would no longer be the man she had fallen in love with. She loved him for the compassion he showed every day. She loved him because he loved others. She loved him because he made the hard choices and did what was right. He couldn't go back, because if he did, he would no longer be the man she had married. And that scared him more than anything else, for if he lost her love he would lose his will to go on with it.

Lois was going to be angry with him. She was currently angry with him. But she would get over it. At least he hoped she would. If he went back, however, the end result was not in doubt. A compromise here would lead to a compromise later. Lois was his life, but if he allowed her to consume his life, he would lose her. He had to do what was right. He had to follow his conscience. There was really no other choice, though that fact still didn't make it any easier.

His mind set, Clark resumed his flight towards the echoes of pain and hurt in the distance. It sounded very bad. Something horrific had happened, and he would do everything in his power to help as many people as possible. Every time he went out was a risk. He risked exposing himself and putting the ones he loved in danger. Yet every time he still made the choice to help, because he cared. He loved these people. Life was precious. And he was determined to save as many as possible.

A tear fell from his eye as Lois' anguish continued to haunt him. _Please be alright. Please be alright._ He couldn't help her. Not yet. Not now. He had a job to do. But every tear that she shed still tore a hole in his heart. _Please hold on. I'll be there as soon as I can._

He knew she couldn't hear him. He was to far away. But he still hoped that somehow, even with the distance, his thoughts and emotions would help her pull through. It was all he could offer her at the moment. Except one more thing. _God, please help her pull through._

The prayer was not directed towards anyone in specific, but Clark hoped that if there was an all knowing and ever present being in the world, it would hear his prayer and answer it. He wasn't sure what he believed on the subject, but at the moment his beliefs did not matter. His only thought at the moment was that he hoped there was, and that it…or he…or she…heard his prayer and answered it. Each moment that passed brought more tears to his eyes. He couldn't be there for her, but he wanted someone that could to be there.

Clark arrived at his destination with tears streaming down his face. And what he saw overwhelmed him even further. There were bodies everywhere. The smell of blood filled the air, and the cries that had drawn his attention initially were now brought to perfect clarity. So many people were in pain. So many people were suffering. And it was too much for Clark's already fragile heart to bear. There was only so much of a burden one heart could handle.

But two?

"_Clark, I'm here. I love you. You can do this._"

It was Lois. She was there. And she was no longer suffering, lifting one large burden from Clark's shoulders of responsibility.

"_There's so much pain, Lois. So much suffering._"

"_You can help them. I know you can. We can do this…together. Go. Save who you can. Forget the consequences. They need you, Smallville. They need you._"

"_I know._" Clark focused his mind, shook the tears from his eyes, and surveyed the situation to the best of his ability. There was much to do. But he knew now that he could do it. With Lois by his side, figuratively or not, he could do anything.

* * *

How could anyone be so cruel, so heartless? Lois had seen a lot of terrible things in her life. Being the daughter of a three-star general did tend to open your eyes to the reality of the world. But this? This was so beyond anything she had ever encountered before. The only thing that even came close was the terrorist attacks of seven years earlier on the World Trade Center buildings in New York. Lois had been there with her father after the fact, and had seen the panic and loss. It had been such a terrible calamity. But even it did not compare to this. So many people were hurting, and would be hurting for weeks and even months. So many others were dead. The count numbered in the thousands, she was sure. The pure viciousness of the crime shocked her, and the amount of suffering broke her heart. So many people needed help, and even her husband could not save everyone.

Lois was so proud of him. He had saved so many, and risked everything to help. Their lives would never be the same after this, she knew. Clark had been exposed to the world, flying into buildings, putting fires out with his breath, moving large boulders with his bear hands, things an ordinary man would never be able to do. The world may not have known who this mysterious hero was yet, but it was only a matter of time before someone recognized Clark and cashed in on the information for five minutes of fame.

The changes that would result from his exposure did scare her. In fact, it scared her to death. But Clark really hadn't had any other choice. He could not just sit back and do nothing. It was not who he was, and she wouldn't have wanted him to do anything other than what he had. So many people would have died had he not stepped in, and she knew he would not ever have been able to live with himself had he stood idly by and done nothing. And if she was honest with herself, she would have to admit that she would never have looked at him the same way again. She loved his caring heart, his selflessness, and she was fairly sure she would have had a hard time dealing with his sudden shift of focus.

Dealing with the consequences of his current actions would be hard, but there was one major difference: they would deal with it together. If he had turned his back on the ones that needed him, however, each of them would have had to deal with it on their own. And having to do that scared her more than what the future held for them now. Together, they could handle anything. But apart? The mere thought of being apart from him sent shivers up and down her spine. She wouldn't survive it, and neither would he.

Lois shifted her thoughts from concerns about the future to the task at hand. The changes that would likely take place in her life could wait until tomorrow. Right now there were people who were hurting, and she would do all that she could to help. She couldn't do much, but she would do her best.

When Clark had told her what had happened, she instantly knew she could not stay where she was. Just as Clark could not sit idly by and do nothing, so she could not sit on the sidelines when there was something she could do. Doctors and nurses would be spread too thin, and she had emergency medical training from the military, so she knew she could help. She had changed out of her wedding dress and into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, pulled her hair back into a ponytail, packed all of the clean towels the hotel room had, and driven to the scene of the disaster.

It had been even worse than she had imagined. Clark had spent the entire half-hour it had taken her to get there to put out as many fires as he could, yet still the fires had raged. The fire department could do very little, as all the water in the entire district had been corrupted with gasoline, or some other flammable liquid. Someone had dumped several hundred thousand gallons into the district's water system and then set off a bomb in the highest populated area. They used what reserves they had on hand, but quickly ran out of usable water. If not for Clark's efforts, she was sure half of the city would have burned down.

Now, six hours later, Clark was still out and about, doing all in his power to save as many as he could. And Lois was doing her part, too, tending to the many burn victims as best as she could. It was exhausting work, and she was both physically and mentally tired. But still she continued on, drawing strength from Clark.

She hadn't talked to him in over two hours. He was moving to fast and keeping too focused to keep up a conversation with her. But the bracelet's affects were more than just telepathic. It strengthened the connection they already shared a hundred fold. She could feel his presence like he was standing beside her, hand in hers. And she was always stronger with him by her side.

Lois finished reapplying a bandage to yet another burn victim, smiled encouragingly for him, and moved on to the next bed. A smile of support was really all that she could offer most of the people who were brought in. The hospitals had run out of pain medication three hours earlier. The sound of soft crying drew her attention away from the bed, and she turned to search for the source of the sound. Huddled under one of the beds she found a young blond girl. She couldn't have been more than three or four years old. She was clutching a singed teddy-bear in one hand, and a photo in the other.

Lois' heart went out to the girl, and she knelt beside her, asking for her name.

"Lily," the girl replied softly, in between tears.

"Lily? That's a beautiful name. My name is Lois, but you can call me Lo'."

"Lo'."

She nodded, then sat down beside her and began stroking her hair. Lily hesitated for a moment, then pulled herself into her lap and started crying, clinging to Lois as if her life depended on it. Lois got a glimpse of the photo in her hand, and her heart went out to her even more. Two people, likely her parents, sat on a couch, with Lily wrapped up in their arms. It was a very cute picture, and Lois could tell that her parents had loved her. Had being the key term. She recognized both adults. Each had been sent off to the morgue. The man had been dead when he was brought in, and the woman had died not long after. This little girl was an orphan.

Lois remembered how hard it had been for her when she had lost her mother. And she had known it was coming. She couldn't imagine how this young girl was dealing with the loss of her parents, or even if she understood that they were gone.

Lily must have recognized Lois' concern, and she pulled back and showed her the picture, her eyes full of tears.

"Mommy and Daddy in heaven?"

A tear fell down Lois' cheek. "Yes, Lily. Mommy and Daddy are in heaven."

The little girl nodded, her eyes still full of tears, and held out her teddy-bear. "Teddy hurt. I don't want Teddy to leave me too."

It was too much for Lois, and several more tears drifted down her cheeks. She put on her bravest face, and looked at the girl in love. "Would you like me to help Teddy?"

"Yes."

"Okay." Lois picked up the bandages she had set on the floor, took "Teddy" from Lily, and began bandaging his arm and his head. Finished, she handed the little brown bear back to her.

Lily took the bear and hugged it tightly, then snuggled deeper into Lois' lap. In a few moments she was asleep. Lois stroked the girl's hair, wrapped an arm around her, and let her head rest against the wall. A few moments later, she joined Lily in the land of dreams.

* * *

Several miles away from where Lois had drifted off, Clark was still working, flying from fire to fire and putting each out, only to have another one break out for each one that he squelched. He hadn't stopped moving for even an instant in the last six hours. There was too much to do, too many people to save. He had long passed the point of total exhaustion. All his energy was gone, yet still he pressed on. He had to. They needed him.

As Lois' eyes drifted close, Clark's did as well. Her strength and presence was the only thing that had kept him going this long. He drifted from consciousness, and his body fell from the air and landed hard upon the pavement below.

The sound of the impact drew the attention of someone who was in the area, and the man stopped his car, got out, and quickly went to investigate. He found a large crater in the ground and a figure covered, from head to toe, in soot and ash, lying unconscious in the center of it. He worked his way down to the body, lifted it over his shoulders as best as he could, and carried it to his car. He then checked the area to see if anyone had seen his actions, and once satisfied, got into his car and drove off.

* * *

Finally. It had taken him an hour and a half, but he had finally tracked Lois down. Where he found her, however, had surprised him.

Lex leaned down and shook Lois lightly, waking her.

"Clark?" she said rather incoherently.

"It's Lex."

Lois shook her head slightly, rubbed her eyes with her free hand, and looked up at him.

"Lex? Where's Clark?" Lex could see the panic in her eyes. She somehow knew that Clark was no longer patrolling the streets. Their connection never ceased to amaze him.

"He's safe. I found him a little over an hour ago passed out from exhaustion, and I took him to my penthouse. He's resting."

Lois let out a sigh of relief, then unwrapped herself from the little girl's embrace, setting her down lightly and wrapping a towel around her to keep her warm. She stirred a little, but continued to sleep quietly.

"How long was I out?"

"I don't know. I've been searching for you since I dropped Clark off. Have you been up here all night?"

"Yes. I have medical training, and we're short on doctors. I need to get back to my patients."

"It's fine, Lois. I've taken care of everything. I've flown in several doctors and nurses from Wichita and Kansas City, and I've put out a call for help to the rest of the nation. And LuthorCorp is working on a way to purify the water supply. We have everything under control, although the city would have been lost without Clark's help. And he needs you more now. The things he's likely seen…"

Lois nodded, understanding. "I've seen my fair share of horrific things over the past several hours, too." She handed him a photo. "This little girl here is named Lily. Both her parents died, and I don't know if she has any family left or not. I can't leave her here alone. Could you make sure she's taken care of? And see if you can find out if she has any other family?"

Lex nodded, touched by her concern and thoughtfulness. Clark really did choose well. Though Lois was not the only one in her family that never ceased to impress him.

"Of course. I'll do everything I can."

"Thank you."

"I have a limo waiting for you outside. They'll take you to Clark."

Lois nodded, and turned to leave.

"Lois?"

"Yes?"

"About Clark. He was covered from head to toe in smoke and ash when I found him. I doubt anyone was able to identify him when he was out. You two were lucky this time. I'm going to do my best to keep Clark's name out of the papers, but if something like this happens again, and Clark's special…gifts are needed again, I do not think even I will be able to keep you two safe. There is only so much I can do."

"Clark cannot stop being who he is, Lex."

"I know, and I don't want him to. But he's my friend, as are you, and I don't want to see either of you hurt. Could you perhaps talk him into wearing a disguise of some sort? Or figuring something out to keep his identity a secret?"

"I hadn't thought about it. I'll talk to him."

"Thank you."

"Thank _you_, Lex. You're a good friend. Don't ever change."

And with that Lois turned and left. Lex smiled slightly. It was people like Lois, like Clark, and like Chloe who kept him from changing back into the man he used to be. As long as they were around, he wouldn't change. They would make sure of it. And he would certainly put forth his best effort. He couldn't let them down. Especially Chloe. She meant more than the world to him.

His thoughts of Chloe once again made him start to worry. He really wished she would call him. He needed to know that she was safe. He pulled his phone out again and dialed the familiar number. After four rings her voicemail picked up, and he left her another message.

"Chloe, it's Lex again. Just calling to make sure you are safe. Please give me a call when you get this. I…I love you. Bye."

Lex hung up the phone and sighed. She still wasn't answering. He opened his phone again, and called his personal body guard, whom he trusted completely.

"Marshall here."

"Bryan, this is Lex. I need you to stop by Chloe's apartment and check on her."

"Certainly, sir. I'll do so right away."

"Thank you. Call me when you find out more."

"Yes, sir."

"And for the last time, call me Lex."

"Sorry, sir."

Lex chuckled. "Some things never change, do they, Bryan?"

"No, sir. Some things do not change. I will call you as soon as I arrive."

Bryan hung up, and Lex shifted his thoughts to the matters at hand, satisfied that he had done all he could to assure Chloe's safety. There was still much that needed to be done.

* * *

Even his dreams distressed him.

Clark tossed and turned from side to side. The nightmares become reality that he had witnessed haunted him even in his unconscious mind. Dreams…if they could be called dreams…dreams of pain, dreams of loss, and dreams of death played over and over in his mind. His sleep was unrestful, his mind still too active attempting to deal with the all he had seen to allow for true rest.

Peace. It came over him suddenly, and the content of his dreams shifted slightly. The images were the same, but the outcomes were different. Where as before he arrived too late every time, now he arrived just in time. His mind, freed from the pressures of dealing, began to recover slowly. Slowly for Clark, at least.

Several minutes later Clark's senses kicked into gear, and he slowly became aware of the world around him. He opened his eyes and was blessed with the most beautiful sight he had ever seen: the face of his wife. She had climbed into bed with him and was resting soundly on top of him, her arms draped around his sides. She looked as exhausted as he had been only moments earlier.

Clark wrapped his arms around her and stroked her hair softly. He loved her so much. She stirred slightly at his touch and he sighed. He really hadn't wanted to wake her. He just wanted to hold her in his arms, to feel her close to him. With the events of the day, he hadn't had a chance to spend time with his new wife.

The events of the day. Panic set in as it suddenly clicked. He must have passed out. How he had ended up here, wherever here was, and with Lois was blank in his mind.

Lois pulled herself up and looked lovingly into his eyes. "Clark, what is wrong?"

"The city still needs me. I have to get back out there." He sat up and moved to get up, but Lois stopped him.

"No, Clark. It's okay. The immediate danger is gone. You did well. Lex has things under control."

Clark sighed in relief. Thank God. The city was safe. He could relax.

It hit him then. Grief. He had held it in all night, refusing to face it. He could not allow himself to break down. Too many lives had been in the balance. But now that the worst was over, it came rushing in all at once. He relived the tears of the woman who had lost her baby. He relived the concern of the man who could not find his son. He relived the pain of the six-year-old boy that had second and third degree burns throughout his body. Each and every tear, each and every cry, each and every sorrow had touched Clark's heart. For he loved them all. He loved each and every person in Metropolis, in Kansas, and in the world.

The first tear escaped his eye and became the catalyst that broke down the walls he had put up earlier. His tears fell freely then, and Lois wrapped her arms around him.

"I know Clark. I know. It's okay. I'm here. Let it all out. Just let it all out."

And Clark did. He cried, and Lois cried with him. Lois stroked his hair and back with her hands, giving him comfort and making the dealing easier. There was not a single moment in time where he was more thankful for having her in his life than the one before him. He would cry and he would cope, but with Lois by his side, he knew he could pull through it.


	5. Interlude

**Interlude**

Pain. Suffering. Despair. Emotions the Entity was familiar with, even fed off of. But emotions it had never expected to experience for itself. For it was the Entity. Older than time itself. No being had ever been stronger than it before. No being it had encountered had ever been able to inflict even a small amount of pain. It inflicted pain. It did not receive pain. Not until now.

Love. Purity. Sacrifice. These were the instruments of its pain. And what a great pain it was. Each moment in time weakened the Entity, revealing to it that time was indeed important. It had to act quickly. It would not survive otherwise. But the connection…too powerful. It had not known such a powerful force before. Or had it?

At once, memory became important. The being of light was somehow familiar. But how? Ageless, it may be. But endless? No. Its end was in sight. The hunger was no longer important. Survival was. It must discover the truth. Where had it encountered the being before? Why was the being so familiar?

A name. Kal-El. Of course. It remembered. Oh, the old enemy had been clever. Very clever indeed. And the connection? Brilliant. But what string could not be cut? What chain could not be broken? What connection could not be severed? Oh, the fight was not over yet. It would not go out without a fight.

Strong enough to defeat Kal-El, it was not. Not with the connection in place. And strong, the connection was. It would need more strength to break it. It would need to feed. It was thankful for the destruction that had occurred so far. If not for the suffering and destruction that had been caused already, it would not have survived this long. Weak, it was, but not helpless. Not yet.

Victims. It needed victims. No mere suffering would do. Hearts needed to be broken. Love needed to be shattered. Trust needed to be squelched. Only then would it have the strength to face Kal-El. The old enemy had been wise. But wisdom could be overcome. Foresight was never perfect. He had failed once before. He would fail again. The Entity would make sure of it.

The Entity pulled away and scanned the planet. Many victims were already ready for the possession. Others were just a few steps away. One such victim stood out brightly. Oh, would that be a satisfying meal. He was strong, but it was stronger. It knew it could break him. Or break her. Which, it did not matter. What did matter was the strength such a meal would produce.

But the time was short. The window nearly closed. The time for an offensive was now. It could wait no longer. It must act. It must succeed. Failure would mean its end. Success would mean the end of this world. Either way, an end would come. But the Entity was sure that that end would not be its own. It had a plan, and the plan was in motion. And it was sure that Kal-El, as strong as he was, would not survive. For it knew his greatest weakness, and whatever the choice, it would win. Kal-El would never see it coming.


	6. Love

**Chapter Four - Love**

Chloe Sullivan opened her eyes and smiled. She had never thought her life could be so beautiful. Life had never been good to her in the past. There had always been something going on, something smashing her dreams to pieces. She had tried to make good choices, yet everything she did seemed to turn out badly. Especially when it came to love.

Chloe had always assumed she had been cursed. Every single person she had ever developed feelings for had turned out to either be unavailable or a psycho. Her old boyfriends list was the stuff of legends. How many girls could say, after all, that most of the men they dated had tried to kill them? Or that they had supernatural powers ranging from freezing touch to telekinesis?

Chloe had given up on dating long ago. If there was no hope, why continue trying? It was irrational. And Chloe, intrepid reporter in training, was anything but irrational. Or so she told herself.

Then there was her career. Or, rather, her lack of a career. It had been her lifelong dream to become a journalist for the _Daily Planet_. She had worked towards that goal since as early as she could remember. Ever since she had read the story of Nellie Blye as a child, journalism had been her passion. As the first female journalist at the Planet, Nellie had made a name for herself with her hard hitting nature and her refusal to give up. She always got her story, and though women were looked down upon at the time, she still made a name for herself and won two Pulitzers, showing the world that a woman truly could be successful. And Chloe had wanted to follow in her footsteps.

Her dream hadn't worked out exactly as she had planned, however, just like nearly everything else in her life. Her initial internship at the Planet in high school had ruined any chances she might have had with the _Daily Planet_. Too many people knew about her and were determined to see her fail. Still, she had taken that as the challenge that it was, and went to college to prove to the world that she could be a success. And for a while, her chances had looked good. She wrote for the Met-U Gazette, obtained good grades, and nearly got a summer internship in Wichita at the Wichita Eagle. It wasn't the _Daily Planet_, but it still was a good newspaper with high standards. Unfortunately, one of her classmates had been chosen instead.

It hadn't gotten much better from there. Once she had finished her second year of college, she had applied to the Journalism program. The rejection letter she had received had been one of the biggest shocks of her life. During her time at Met-U, she had rubbed one of the professors the wrong way, and as it turned out, his signature was needed for her to get into the program. He refused it, despite all of her efforts to change his mind. Even school channels had failed. The professor had too much clout in the school. There was nothing she could do.

Lex had offered to help her, but she had refused to accept it. Her deal with his father hadn't ended well, and despite what Clark thought, she hadn't been convinced that he was any different. But that hadn't left her with many options. Central Kansas didn't have a Journalism curriculum, and Kansas State University, Wichita State University, and the University of Kansas had all been past the application deadline to their respective Journalism programs. She would have to wait an entire year to try again.

Depression had hit her hard that summer. Every single dream she had ever had had been shattered, and she felt like she had no one. There was Lois, but she didn't see much of her, as she was too busy with her class load (even over the summer) to have much of a social life. And her father? She rarely saw him too, as he still lived in Smallville and worked at LuthorCorp. Her only other friend, Clark, was off fulfilling his destiny. She was completely and totally alone. And even if it wasn't true, it still felt that way.

Her release had come in the most unlikely form imaginable. A new passion which even the ones that knew her best would have never guessed she was interested in, much less naturally talented at. Music.

Chloe found in music a place to express her frustrations with life, her naturally creative mind, and her inquisitive and curious nature. It was her place of escape in a world that was not looking very bright, and a place of joy where otherwise she had none. And it helped her pull through her depression and find some meaning in a life that had otherwise lost all focus.

At first, her "music" had started with poetry. She wrote on her feelings, on her frustrations with life, on the hopelessness of love, and on the let down of dreams. But her mind would not let her stop there. As she wrote each poem, the music would come to her. She saw it more clearly than she had ever seen anything. But she could not play an instrument. She could barely read music and sing on key. Her ideas demanded to be expressed, however, and she put her determination to good use, enrolled in piano and music courses for the fall, and took private piano lessons from a music major over the summer.

When the fall semester started, Chloe ran into a major problem. She had no where to practice. Met-U had a music studio, but it was only open to music majors, and Chloe still wasn't ready to abandon her Journalism dream. When Lex found out about her situation, he again offered his help, offering her to use his piano in his penthouse in Metropolis. She had very nearly turned him down again, but she was so desperate to play (not to mention it was a really nice piano) that she went against her better judgment and accepted the offer.

Lex wasn't home often, at first. The majority of his days were spent at LuthorCorp, and Chloe only stopped by during the day. He had given her a key and keycard, and instructed the guards to let her pass uninhibited, so she did not need his presence to come and go. But slowly but surely Lex shifted his operations from the LuthorCorp building to his penthouse, managing most of the company by phone and email, and only leaving for the occasional business meeting or company inspection.

Chloe had been suspicious of his motivations for the transition at first, and had proceeded with caution. But as the weeks and months had rolled by her caution had slowly faded, and she began to see the man that he was in private, behind closed doors. And her heart slowly but surely opened up to him. She began to admire who he had become, and, before she had even realized it, that admiration had transformed into love.

He didn't speak with her often. Perhaps he kept his distance because of her earlier resistance to him. Or perhaps he did it to respect her and let her concentrate. She hadn't known, but it hadn't mattered at the time. She didn't need to talk to him, for silence spoke much louder than words ever could.

It was the little things that really captured her heart. When Lex would be on the phone, frustrated with the lack of cooperation from a client or partner, and she would see a small spark of his old darkness flash in his eyes, only to see him take a step back, sigh softly, and concentrate on pulling himself back together. He still struggled with the latent anger that had developed during his growing up years with his father, yet every time, every single time, he fought it. And that touched her more than any illusion of perfection ever could. Here was a real man, who had real demons inside of him, yet pressed on each and every day despite them, facing them head on. It showed character and wisdom beyond his years, and a grasp of a concept that many men and women never understood. The true worth of a man was not told by who you were born to or the perfection of your past. Nor was it always the choices you made that defined you. No, it was the reactions to those choices, good or bad, that truly determined worth, that truly demonstrated character or lack of character.

Lex was not a perfect man. Far from it. But each and every mistake he made tore at his heart. She saw his daily struggle to become a better man, and it amazed her. Time and time again he would do something he regretted or nearly do something he didn't want to do, and time and time again she would hear him crying in his room as she left for the night. That had been a new revelation for her, as, except for at his father's funeral, she had never seen him even shed a tear. It took her a while to figure out why he cried, and the day it hit her was the day she realized she was in love with him. He cried because he was not the man he wanted to be. He cried because he had once again let down his father. And he cried, she hoped, because he had once again let her down. But if not for his failures, she would have never seen past the mistrust that had blinded her for so long.

It had taken her nearly a year to see it. She saw him, every day, yet it had taken her a year to move past her mistrust and admit to herself that she loved him. She knew he felt something for her too. The glances he gave her several times a day, the many times he came in to check on her, the tone of his voice when he did speak to her, and the small acts of love (always having the fridge filled with her favorite beverage and leaving the radio upstairs on to the station she liked even though he couldn't stand it, to name a few) showed her that he cared.

Most evident of all was the strength he seemed to draw from her. When a phone conversation began to get out of hand he would absentmindedly walk by the piano room, almost as if the mere proximity to her helped him reel in his anger. Or after a really bad day how he would collapse on the couch in the piano room and just listen to her play. She didn't always play the piano for him. In under a year she had attained near mastery level in six different instruments, and she somehow instinctively knew which one would soothe his mood the best. On a particularly bad day, she had even written a new piece, as she played it, just for him. And each and every time he got up from the couch he was refreshed, and left with a slight nod and a smile in her direction. A smile she had found herself living for.

Yet no matter what she did, no matter what hints she left, he didn't ask her out. Apparently he was as blind as she had been, only in reverse.

She had waited six months. Six torturous months. Finally, she had had enough. Her hints had been blatantly obvious, yet still he had not taken action. She had allowed time for him to do the manly thing and ask her out himself. But she wasn't about to wait around forever. If he was not going to take the first step then she would have to take things into her own hands.

A week ago, she had. He had left for a business meeting, and when he had returned, he was in a very poor mood. He had thrown himself down on the couch and sighed loudly, clutching his head in his hands. His moods had been very good over the past few weeks as Clark and Lois' wedding had drawn closer, but that night she could tell he was frustrated. Very frustrated. She would find out later that he had been working for two months on raising the support to fund a major renovation of a large portion of the Metropolis poor district, building new housing and improving the quality of the old housing in order to improve the lives of the citizens in the area, but that in his meeting that day no one had stepped up to the plate. LuthorCorp would be fronting a good portion of the bill, but Lex still needed extra support to push the renovations through.

She played him a song on her violin that she had been working on for such a night. She had been working on it for weeks, putting all of her love for Lex into it, and trying to capture the nature of their relationship, with a promise for something more. When she had finished playing it, she walked to the couch and knelt down beside him. He had opened his eyes and looked at her with a mixture of confusion and concern. He always seemed to have a look of concern, and buried deeper, love, on his face when he looked at her.

"Lex?"

"Yes?"

"I want you to go out with me."

"What?"

"I want you to go out with me. On a date."

"Really?"

"Yes, Lex. Really."

"But why? I thought you hated me."

"No, I don't hate you. I never have. I didn't used to trust you, but I don't trust anyone more than I trust you now. Not Clark. Not even Lois."

"You really want to go out with me?"

"Yes, Lex. I really want to go out with you. You are a good man, and I'd like to see where a relationship could take us."

"I'm not a good man."

"Yes, Lex, you are. You are because you refuse to give up or give in. No matter how many times you make a mistake and fall, each and every time you make yourself get back up. I've seen you at your worst and I've seen you at your best. I know who you are, and I still want to know you better."

"You're sure?"

"Lex! I'm sure!"

"I don't want to hurt you. You mean too much to me. I couldn't bear it."

"I know, Lex. And if we start a relationship, you might hurt me and I might hurt you. But that is what happens in all relationships. Those are risks that have to be taken. I don't want to miss out on what we might be able to have because I'm afraid of what might happen. I'm willing to take the risk."

"You're really serious about this?"

"How many times to I have to say it? Yes, I'm serious. Yes, I want to go out with you. Yes, I want to get to know you better. And yes, I really and truly care about you. So what is it? Will you go out with me or not?"

"Yes."

"Saturday, after the wedding?"

"Yes."

"Good. Now tell me about your day."

"Why?"

"I'm really going to have to work on you, aren't I?"

"I think so."

Chloe had then shaken her head in resignation, looked him straight in the eye, and leaned in and kissed him softly. When she pulled away, both her face and Lex's were glowing.

"Does that help any?"

Lex smirked slightly. "I might need a little more convincing."

Chloe had smiled, rolled her eyes, then leaned in and kissed him again.

"Now?"

"Maybe a little bit more convincing."

She hit him playfully on the arm and granted his request, kissing him again, joy and happiness filling her. Just like it was now.

Yesterday had been the perfect day. Really, the whole week had been perfect. She only had one regret. She should have seriously asked him out sooner.

* * *

"Can I ask you something?"

Lois looked at Clark like he was crazy. "Of course, Smallville. You can always ask me anything. You know that."

Clark paused a moment, seemingly struggling with what he wanted to say. His eyes were still red from his tears earlier, and Lois guessed that her own eyes didn't look any better. Although his tears did not lessen her attraction to him. If anything, it increased it. She hated to see him cry, but at the same time she loved it. It hurt her to see him struggling, but his openness with her thrilled her to no end. She wanted to know him completely, and when he let her into his heart it was a step in that direction.

"Are you mad at me?"

"For leaving?"

"Yes."

"I was." She paused, struggling with what to say next. She wanted him to understand why she had been mad, and why she had moved past her anger. She wanted him to know her. For no matter what she told him, he would love her, and she wanted him to love her for who she truly was inside and not just what she showed on the surface. She wanted to share her heart with him, and wanted him to share his heart with her.

"But not now?"

"No, not now. Clark, I love you. I love you for who you are, and I would never want you to change a single thing. I love that you care about others, and the sacrifices you make to help them. You are the best man I know. And I consider myself lucky to be called your wife.

"I can be selfish sometimes, though. And last night I wanted you for myself. We've waited so long, and I wanted last night to be perfect. I've looked forward to sharing myself completely with you for months, and it hurt that I couldn't do that.

"If there is one thing I want more than anything in the world, it is to be closer to you. But I want to know the real you, too. I'm going to struggle sometimes when you leave, but that doesn't mean I don't want you to go help. This is who you are, and I would never change that. I'm just going to need some time to work through it. Can you be patient with me?"

Clark put a hand to her face and caressed it gently, warming her heart and calming her fears. "For you, Lois, I would move mountains. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. It is never a burden to love you. Even when you drive me crazy. It just hurts me to see you in pain, to see you mad at me."

Lois' heart faltered as her previous tears threatened to resurface. "I'm sorry, Clark. I never wanted to hurt you. I'll try harder. I really only want to be closer to you. That is all I have ever really wanted."

Clark took her hand and looked deeply into her eyes. "Lois, you are the strongest woman I have ever met. I wouldn't be who I am today if not for your support and strength. You have been so strong for me, pushing me forward and helping me come to terms with my destiny and accept myself as I am. You helped me through yesterday, and you have helped me deal with everything that I saw. I feel closer to you now than I ever have before.

"I want to be closer to you too, Lois. And I am committed to making that happen. I'm not going to give up, ever. You are too important to me. I'm going to have to leave you at times to go help others. But when I'm here, I am yours. Completely."

Lois smiled, her tears transformed from tears of hurt to tears of joy. How did he always know just the right thing to say to make everything better?

"And I am yours, Smallville."

Lois leaned in, took his face in her hands, and kissed him softly. He returned her kiss, and she allowed herself to fall back on the bed as he deepened their kiss, his body pressing softly against hers. Each kiss was like magic, thrilling her and filling her with love. His every touch was tender and loving. She still could not believe she had ever become so lucky to end up with a man that loved her so much and treated her with such respect and honor. They were husband and wife. He was hers and she was his. Yet at each step he slowed, seeking her permission, as if he only wanted to go further if she did. It was sweet. It was loving. And it was so very much like Clark.

Each time, she gave him her permission, and as each article of clothing was cast aside, her connection to Clark increased. Their feelings meshed and intertwined, and their thoughts became lost in the other. Everything that Clark felt, she felt. And everything that Clark thought, she heard.

"_I love you. You're my angel. You're so soft. I can't believe you're really my wife. I love you. You are so amazing, Lois. You smell so good. Thank you for loving me. How did I ever get so lucky? I love you so much._"

Each word was music to her ears, each touch a window into his heart. All cares, all worries, all fears left her. The world faded from view until all that was left was her husband. She faded into him as he faded into her. She gave herself to him as he gave himself to her. She dropped all barriers, letting him see and feel all of her. She held nothing back from him. He held nothing back from her. It scared her, opening herself up completely to him. But she had vowed to be honest and open with him, and she had meant it. And his gentleness and love assured her of one thing: she could trust him completely. He would take care of her heart. And she would take care of his. For she loved him, completely, and she knew without a doubt that he felt the same way about her.

When it was over, and she was resting in the arms of her husband, one question was settled in her mind forever. Sex with Clark Kent was definitely better than flying.

"_You're right about that._"

* * *

Chloe sighed one more time in contentment and happiness, then pulled back her blankets and got out of bed. She stretched her arms above her head, clasping her hands together at the top and pulling slightly as she yawned widely. She still wasn't quite awake, but she was coherent enough to make it to the coffee pot.

She made her way to her bedroom door, opened it, and took in the sweet aroma of the Folgers blend. Gawd, she loved modern technology. She didn't understand how anyone could live without automatic coffee makers.

She took the already filled cup from its place on the coffee maker and took a good, slow sip. Heaven. Grabbing the TV remote from its place next to the coffee maker, Chloe hit the power button, placed the remote back, and headed towards the front door of her apartment. After sliding the chain to the side and unlatching the deadbolt with her left hand, she opened the door and knelt down to pick up the morning's edition of the _Daily Planet_. Tucking it under her right arm, she shut and locked the door, then returned to the couch and sat down, taking another sip of her coffee before setting it on the end table. She flipped the paper open to the music section and scanned the page for an article of interest. Lex's voice pulled her attention from the paper immediately, and she looked up at the TV.

"_The terrorist attack on Metropolis last night was heartless and severe. Hundreds of people have been killed, and thousands more are injured. Some fires still burn uncontrollably in the city. LuthorCorp is doing all it can to help, but we cannot do it alone. We need the help of the American people. We need doctors and nurses. We need food and water. We need volunteers to help take care of all the children that have been orphaned. The heart of Metropolis has been broken, and we need help to mend it._"

Chloe's eyes widened. What had happened last night? When? How?

"_This is Kelley Walters, from Metropolis News. Mr. Luthor, what can you tell us about the stranger that was seen flying through the city when the attack began?_"

Stranger? Flying? Had Clark been exposed?

"_I have very little knowledge concerning the hero of Metropolis, but I can tell you that if not for the help that this person supplied, all of Metropolis would be in flames right now, and thousands more would be dead. But I urge everyone not to let the appearance of this 'stranger' distract you from the true tragedy. Metropolis still needs your help._

"_I'm afraid I cannot take anymore questions at this time. I am needed elsewhere. Thank you._"

The station then switched to scenes of the destruction, and Chloe's eyes widened even further. As the news anchor went over the details of the attack, a flood of emotions hit her. Her heart felt for all the people who had lost loved ones. She again admired Lex for his compassion and strong character, and her love for him grew even deeper. And she worried about Clark and Lois. What would happen to them now? Were they safe? Had anyone recognized him?

She needed answers. Now. She retrieved her phone and began to dial Lex's number, only to realize that her battery was dead. Great. Just great. And she had left her charger in her purse, which she had left in Lex's car last night after their date. It appeared she would be driving.

She grabbed her keys and headed out the door as quickly as her legs would carry her, forgetting her coffee completely. And that, more than anything, showed how worried she truly was.

* * *

Clark cringed, waiting for Lois' retribution to his little comment. She did not disappoint, elbowing him playfully in the side.

"Ow! That hurt."

"Liar. Serves you right anyway, you big baby."

"I love you too, sweetheart."

Lois lifted herself up slightly off his chest, giving him a fairly good view of hers. "You just called me sweetheart."

"You don't like it?" Clark asked, still a bit distracted by her position on top of him.

Lois took a quick glance towards the direction of his eyes, smirked, and pulled herself up further, giving him a full view of her body.

"Is that better, Smallville?"

"Oh, yes. Much. Please continue."

"Right. No, I like it. It's just different. You haven't called me sweetheart before."

"You're beautiful, you know that?"

"You really can't stay on topic, can you?"

"You're gorgeous. You've got the most beautiful pair of eyes I have ever seen."

"Smallville…"

"Your eyes aren't your only pair that is beautiful."

"Smallville!"

Lois, now sitting straight up on top of him, crossed her arms in front of her, covering up a good portion of her chest. Or the good portion. Though to Clark, all of it was good.

Clark pouted, and Lois looked at him sternly and disapprovingly. "Big baby indeed! Now wipe that poochy lip off your face right now, Mr. Kent."

"Or what?" he said, still maintaining his pout.

"I'm warning you! I have my ways."

"Oh, I know. I know…" Clark said, the sensualness of his voice indicating clearly his meaning.

Lois' eyes narrowed and her lips pursed in challenge, and Clark purposely mounted his "poochy lip" back on his face and raised an eyebrow in response. This would be interesting. He had absolutely no clue what she was going to do.

Lois dropped both of her hands to her sides, shocking Clark once again with her full beauty, leaned down and in seductively, wrapped her arms around his neck, and paused just inches from his lips, her eyes locked in his. He saw the twinkle in her eye just a few seconds to late, as Lois pulled his pillow out from under his head and hit him with it, smiling brightly in victory.

Clark laughed, smirked, and eyed her mischievously, then glanced quickly to his left and back to her.

Lois' eyes widened then narrowed. "Don't you dare, Smallville," she warned, her voice almost challenging him to try it.

He did. Reaching to his left, he grabbed the second pillow and hit her squarely in the head with it. She squealed at him and swung her own pillow in retaliation, hitting him in the chest. For several minutes they traded blows, laughing and squealing all the while. When the feathers cleared, Lois was lying flat on the bed, and Clark was on top of her.

"I don't know how I ever lived my life without you."

"In pity parties and boringness, if I'm not mistaken."

"I love you, Lois."

"I love you too, Clark."

Clark let his arms relax a little and closed the distance between them, capturing her lips with his own and sliding his hands under her, gently exploring her back. As her hands drifted to his hair he felt her again mentally pulling down the barriers that naturally went up around her heart. He nearly broke down in tears right then and there. Gawd, was she an amazing woman. He felt the fear she had about opening up herself completely, and yet she consciously did it anyway. For him. And it made him fall in love with her all over again.

"_I don't deserve you._"

"_I want you as you are. I've never wanted anyone as much as I want you. I can't imagine loving anyone but you._"

"_You're the most amazing woman I have ever known._"

"_I've never met a man more honorable than you._"

"_I'm the luckiest man alive._"

"_I'm the luckiest woman._"

And once again, all coherent thought left him as he became intertwined, mind, body, and soul, with the woman he was fortunate enough to call his wife. The woman he loved more than life itself. And he was going to get to spend the entirety of it with her. How amazing was that?


	7. Tests

**Chapter Five - Tests**

She meant it. She was the luckiest woman alive. The most honorable, the most loving, and the most interesting man she had ever met was her husband. He loved her for who she was and let her be herself. He didn't stifle her independence. He encouraged it and loved her for it. All of the things she had always thought had driven men away were the things he loved her for. When she was with him she had no doubts. She could truly be herself, even the vulnerable person she hid from the rest of the world. She could cry and she could laugh with him. And could they ever laugh together.

Lois smiled as she thought about that. They had so much fun together. She loved being with him. She was lucky to be with him. Not many women she knew could say that they had as much fun with their husbands as she could say she had with Clark. No one could make her laugh like he could. Chloe was the only one that came close, but even she came up short. Being with Clark Kent made her truly happy. She enjoyed herself so much more when he was around. Even something as simple as studying the face of his sleeping form gave her goose bumps.

As Lois continued to study his face, her eyes fell upon a small smudge of leftover soot smeared above his right eyebrow, and she was reminded that their life together would not always be only good. The hard times and struggles would come, too. In fact, the hard times had come already. But no matter how hard it got, she would never regret giving herself to Clark. She would never regret becoming his wife. She understood the sacrifices that would be involved in devoting herself to Clark, and she had accepted them then just as she accepted them now. He was worth it.

Lois licked her thumb and gently rubbed it against the smudge on her husbands head, wiping it clean. Clark stirred slightly at her touch, and opened his eyes.

"Hi," Clark said, running a hand through her hair.

"Hi." She smiled. She would never get tired of those deep blue eyes. "I didn't mean to wake you. You had a smudge."

"A smudge."

"Yes, a smudge. Soot, I think."

"You're beautiful, Lois."

"You seriously can't stay on topic, can you? Perhaps I should go put some clothes on."

"And take away my breast privileges? I think not."

Lois laughed. "Did you seriously just say 'breast privileges'?"

"I did. I do have breast privileges, right?"

"Well…" She smirked mischievously, giving Clark's body a one and then two over before locking her eyes with his. "Only if I have Clark privileges."

Clark raised an eyebrow at her remark. "Clark privileges? I guess I was aiming a little too low."

"Actually, I'm a little taller than most. But I'll throw in the lower regions too, if that'll make you happy."

Clark chuckled. "Lois, you are what makes me happy. Freckles in weird places and all."

"You noticed those, huh?"

"Not the only things I've noticed. You've helped me see nudist societies in a whole new light."

Again, Lois laughed. He really never did cease to amaze her. Even physical intimacy with him was fun. How amazing was it that she was going to get to spend the rest of her life with him? At least she hoped it would be the rest of her life.

She sighed nearly inaudibly and laid down on his chest, pulling her arms around him. Being close to him helped her suppress the anxieties of the previous day, which were threatening to resurface. While she did understand what she was getting herself into when she agreed to marry him, it still didn't make dealing with her emotions any easier. She still worried about losing him.

"Lois, what is it? What is bothering you?" His voice was one of concern and love, and it made the thought of losing him that much worse. But he did not need her worries to burden him. She needed to be strong for him. It was hard enough for him to deal with his own worries without her adding to them.

"It's nothing."

Clark sighed. "Lois, I know something is wrong. Please, be honest with me."

Please, be honest with me. What had she vowed to Clark less than twenty-four hours earlier? _I love you, and I commit right now to always love you, always cherish you, always be honest with you, and always cleave to you, and only you, from this day forward, and till death do us part._ She had already let him down, and not even a day had passed.

"I'm sorry."

"Hey, this is new to both of us. I'm not use to being completely honest either. But we're a team now. We're in this together, no matter what. Your worries are our worries. We have to be honest with each other or this is never going to work."

"I know. I'm really sorry, Clark. I've let you down."

"No you haven't, sweetheart. You hide because you love me. I understand. I feel the same way sometimes. But we can't hide who we are out of a sense of protection. We're stronger together. We always have been."

Lois smiled, snuggling a bit deeper into the arms of her husband. He was right. They were stronger together.

"I really like it when you call me sweetheart."

"I like calling you sweetheart, too. I've never called anyone sweetheart before."

"No one has ever called me it before, either. It makes me feel special."

"You are special, sweetheart." He paused for a moment. "Are you ready to tell me what was bothering you earlier?"

"I'll try." She took a deep breath and sat up so that she could see his eyes. For once, they were locked completely on her eyes and not drifting down to her exposed chest. "I…I was worried about losing you. You could have been identified last night. If it wasn't for all the ash and soot that covered you, you likely would have."

"I know. It scares me to death to think that something might happen to you because of what I have chosen to do with my life. But I'm not going to take that chance anymore."

"No, Smallville. You cannot quite. I won't let you. Metropolis needs you. The world needs you. And I will not let you let them down because you are afraid of what might happen to me."

"Thank you, Lois. That means a lot to me. Really. But I wasn't talking about quitting. I was talking about wearing a disguise."

"Oh."

* * *

"Ms. Sullivan."

"Bryan? What are you doing here?" Chloe asked as she closed the door to her apartment.

"Mr. Luthor sent me to check on you."

She smiled slightly. It was just like Lex to do something like that. "I was on my way to see him myself."

"You should stay here, Ms. Sullivan."

"Are you kidding? I'm not going to sit around and wait. I may not be a journalist major anymore, but I'm not about to take an event like this sitting down. Besides, I need to check on my friends."

"The Kent's are safe. Mr. Luthor called on my way over and assured me that he had personally made sure that the new husband and wife were completely safe, with instructions for me to tell you this news and have you stay here. It is not safe on the streets this morning."

Chloe breathed a sigh of relief. So Clark and Lois were safe. If Lex had handled it, then Clark's identity had been protected as well. This, at least, was good news.

"Ms. Sullivan, I really must insist," Bryan Marshall said as Chloe made no effort to turn back towards her apartment. "You need to stay here."

"Look, Bryan. You know I'm not staying here. I still need to talk to Lex in person, and there is bound to be something I can do to help. You might as well give in now and take me yourself."

"I was afraid you would say that. Very well. I still do not believe this is a good idea. Mr. Luthor is quite busy. But I know there is no point in arguing with you once you've set your mind on something."

"Damn right there isn't." Three steps from the stairwell, she stopped. "Are you coming or not?" She smirked as he hurried to catch up with her, and again as he held the door open for her. The man reminded her of Clark. Same towering height, same well built physique, same gentlemanly manners. He was quite a bit older than Clark, but otherwise his appearance and character were strikingly similar. The two of them even worked in the same field.

"After you, Ms. Sullivan."

Okay, so Clark never called her Ms. Sullivan. In fact, she would likely slap him if he ever called her Ms. Sullivan, despite the fact that doing so would hurt her more than it would hurt him. But it was the thought that counted. The principle of the thing.

She was still glad Lex had hired him. She liked him. And his two children were adorable. Bryan was one more good example, one more beacon of light to keep Lex focused on what was truly important. And he did a good job, too. She felt nearly as safe around him as she did when she was with Clark. You'd have to be crazy to try and take a man as big as him one on one.

But not one on five. Chloe gulped as the two of them exited her apartment complex. Five fairly large men with malicious looks on their faces were there to greet them. This didn't look good. She cursed under her breath. For the second time in only a few minutes, she really wished she had her purse. Her taser would really come in handy right about now.

* * *

"Yes, I understand, Dr. Warner."

"Good. I'm sorry about your position, but I'm afraid I cannot spare the time."

"You would be well compensated, I assure you."

"I am well compensated now. I'm sorry, Mr. Luthor. I'm afraid you will have to find someone else."

"Yes, Dr. Warner. Thank you for your time."

Lex didn't give him time to respond, closing his cell phone in frustration. Seven phone calls in an hour, and seven rejections. How could these people call themselves doctors? Did any of them even care about people? At all?

What had happened to Metropolis was one of the worst tragedies Lex had ever seen. So many people had been killed. Thousands more had been seriously injured. Metropolis needed more doctors. Metropolis needed more help. He was doing all he could, but even his resources were limited. He only had so many doctors on hand.

Lex pounded his fist on the table in frustration. Damn it! How could people be so heartless? What was the world coming to? Didn't anyone care? People were dying, yet no one seemed to care. Even just one more doctor would make a difference. But he couldn't manage to convince even one burn specialist to come help. All the money in the world did not matter if he could not use it to help people.

Lex sighed, attempting to real in his anger. Chloe wouldn't want him to react this way. He could not let her down. He loved her too much to let her down.

Chloe. Where was she? Why hadn't he heard from Bryan? It had been over an hour. Traffic may have been bad, but surely he would have found her by now. Why hadn't he called? What was taking so long? Was she alright? Was she safe? Was she hurt? Was she…no. He could not allow himself to think about it. She was fine. She had to be. His sanity depended on it.

It wouldn't hurt to make sure. Lex opened his phone and dialed Bryan's number. One ring. Three. Six. His voicemail picked up, and Lex closed the phone, again in frustration. Where the hell was he?

* * *

Bryan Marshall had never felt this helpless. Another fist impacted with his face, and he went down hard. He wouldn't last much longer against these odds. He had very little strength left. A full power kick hit him in the side, cracking a rib and sending him rolling over in pain. He nearly lost consciousness, but sheer force of will kept him awake. These were not the kind of men to leave a man alive after a beating. Once they tired of their games they would finish him. He had to stay conscious. His life depended on it. And he wasn't about to leave his wife or his two beautiful daughters. Loni had her mother's eyes, and Missy had her father's. They were the two most beautiful things he had ever laid eyes on. He could not leave them fatherless. He needed a new plan. Brute force would not win out. Four against one were not very good odds. At least Ms. Sullivan had managed to escape. He did not even want to think about what they would do to her if they had caught her.

Bryan rolled onto his good side and put his hands on the ground, attempting to pull himself up. Then he allowed himself to fall back down, feigning unconsciousness and fighting it all the while.

His phone rang, and he silently thanked his luck. He had dropped it during the fight, and the sound drew the attention of all four men. In a flash he was on his feet, and he chopped his right hand into the neck of the first man, kicking his legs out from under him only seconds later. Swinging one hundred and eighty degrees, he grabbed the second nearest man by the throat, pinning the inside of his elbow under his neck and cutting off his air supply.

The two other men turned their attention back to Bryan, and he considered his options. He could take them both at full strength, but he was anything but at full strength. But he couldn't leave it at a stalemate, either. Time was not on his side.

Both men advanced on him, and Bryan smiled. Idiots. In one fluid motion he broke the neck of the man in his arms and flung him at the nearest advancer, knocking him over. As the last man neared him Bryan kicked him hard between the legs, then again in the chest. Five against one was hardly fair. There was no reason for him to play fair either.

A sharp pain emerged from his back, and Bryan realized his one miscalculation. The fifth man. Of course he would return once Ms. Sullivan escaped. But at least she had escaped.

Bryan collapsed to the ground, and the fifth man pulled the knife from his back. _I'm sorry, Lori. I'm sorry, Missy. I'm sorry, Ahna. I've failed you all._

Blackness clouded him as his very life drained from his body, the blood from his back reaching his hands and his face. His vision was gone, his hearing nearly gone. He registered voices talking above him, but the meaning of the words escaped him, the lack of oxygen in his brain preventing coherent thought.

One last phrase registered, and he knew it would be the last words he would ever hear.

"I caught the girl. I have her unconscious in the car."

That voice. He recognized it. It was the voice of one of Mr. Luthor's penthouse security guards. He worked under Bryan. His failure was worse than he had thought. He had never thought it would end like this. He never thought he would go out like this. His only wish was that he could see the face of his wife one last time. But he knew he never would look upon her beautiful face again.

* * *

This was really the only way to travel. There was nothing quite like flying. It was one of the most thrilling sensations she had ever experienced. Having her husband hold her in the process was only an added bonus. And a very welcome one.

"_Having fun?_" Clark asked her silently. The wind was too loud for her to hear his voice, as they had figured out earlier. But she didn't mind resorting to telepathy. It was yet one more thing that made their relationship special.

"_You could go a little bit faster, Smallville._"

His speed increased dramatically as his hold on her tightened. Despite the wind, and despite the temperature of the air, she felt warm.

"_That better?_"

"_Oh, much._"

"_Enjoy it while it lasts. We're almost there._"

True to his word, a minute later he slowed and descended to the entrance to the Kawachi caves. He set her down gently, and his feet touched the ground. She took his hand and began to lead him towards the portal to the Fortress, when he paused.

"Clark, what is it?" He certainly didn't feel upset or cautious. If anything, he felt happy. She looked back at him and saw clearly on his face that it didn't seem like he had a care in the world. What was with the hesitation then?

Her question was answered as Clark pulled her close to him and captured her lips with his own. Lois closed her eyes and took in the joy that always surrounded each and every one of his kisses. Her arms naturally slid behind his back and his slid around her waist and up the back of her shirt.

The first kiss lasted what seemed like an eternity and yet at the same time ended too quickly. Clark withdrew slightly, leaned in again and kissed her softly, and pulled away to look at her. What he likely saw was a woman completely and totally in awe, giddy with happiness. Wow. It was all her mind could process.

When coherent thought returned to her, she looked at her husband questioningly. "What was that for?"

"I missed the taste of your lips."

"Oh."

Clark took her hand in his and pulled her towards the cave like a little boy on his birthday, and Lois followed slightly incoherently. Her mind may have recovered, but her body still hadn't. Her hesitance must have been too much for Clark, as he stopped and picked her up into his arms, making her scream in delight.

"Put me down, Smallville."

"I don't think so. I like having you in my arms. Besides, this way I have quick access to your face."

"But-" Her words were cut off as he once again leaned in and kissed her. She slipped her arms around his neck as a smile spread across her face. She suddenly didn't want him to put her down. How did he do this to her?

"See?"

"Just this once, then. But you'd better not drop me."

"You barely weigh anything. I doubt I'll have that problem."

Of course he would say that. Three ton trucks didn't weigh much to him.

Lois relaxed as she let herself savor the contentment of being in her husbands arms. For once she didn't mind letting him win. Not when him winning meant ending up being closer to him, whether it be in proximity or in spirit. And in this instance she believed it was both. If letting him win meant letting her get what she wanted anyway, there was no logical reason, other than principle, not to give in.

About half way to the painting room Clark stopped and kissed her again and she laughed. "Can't keep your mouth off me for two minutes, can you?"

"More like I don't want to." To emphasize his point, he leaned in and kissed her again, over and over.

"_You better pick up the pace, Smallville. That Kryptonian bed is sounding really nice right about now._"

"_You want to have sex again?_" he asked, not ceasing to shower her with kisses. "_What about my costume?_"

"_That'll have to wait for later. I want you, and I want you now._"

Clark didn't need to be told twice. Within moments he was at the end of the cave, and moments later he was in the inner cave. He set her down, closed the door behind them, took her hand, and inserted the key into the table in the center of the room. Several flashes of light and fancy colors later, they found themselves in the ice fortress in the Yukon. Clark picked her up again, then zipped past the _Ice Cycle of Knowledge_ and into their bedroom. A flurry of clothing later and they were in their bed, laughing, kissing, and enjoying each other's bodies. Lois had never felt happier in her life.

* * *

Lex paced back and forth in one of the offices of his penthouse. His worry had become too much to bear, and he had driven back to his penthouse to ask Clark to help him find Chloe. But he was no longer there. Only a note had been left, thanking him for what he had done and letting him know that they had left to look into the "disguise" issue. And while he was thankful that Lois had taken him up on his advice, and that, from the condition of the bed, the two of them had been able to have their time together, he was still angry that they had gone. He wasn't angry with Clark for leaving. He was angry that Clark wasn't there to help, that he couldn't get a hold of Bryan, and that he had no idea if Chloe was safe or not. _Gawd, I hope she's alright._

A knock came at the door, and Lex's heart jumped. "Come in."

Paul, one of the security guards under Bryan, entered the room, a folder tucked neatly under his arm.

"Sir, I have information about Chloe."

"Thank God. Is she safe?"

"Yes, sir. But…"

"What is it? And where's Bryan?"

"He couldn't bear to deliver the message in person, and asked me to give you the news."

News? What news? Chloe was safe. What else mattered?

Paul closed the distance between them and handed him the folder. "I'm sorry, sir."

Lex opened the folder and his heart shattered. His knees weakened, and he slid to the floor. "It's fake."

"No, sir. Bryan took them himself. He knew you would not believe it any other way."

"No. She wouldn't do this." He looked at the photo again, and it told him otherwise. How could she do this to him?

"She checked into a hotel room shortly after you dropped her off last night. The hotel staff confirmed her arrival, and the video footage confirmed that she did not leave the room. She spent the night with that man. I'm sorry."

"Who is he?"

"We are still trying to determine his identity. He checked in under a false name, and ran off when Bryan showed up."

"And Chloe?"

"Bryan is with her now."

"Leave me."

"Sir, I need to know what to tell Bryan."

"I said get the hell out of the room! Now!"

"Yes, sir."

As Paul left the room, closing the doors behind him, Lex flipped through the photos one last time. It was Chloe; that was certain. A tear fell from his eye as his head fell in rejection.

"Why, Chloe? I loved you. Why would you do this to me?" A second tear fell, but he wiped it away quickly. Now was not the time for tears. He would cry later, when all was said and done. Now, he had work to do. He would find out who this man was, and he would kill him. No one touched Chloe. No one. Consensual or not. And then there was Chloe. What was he going to do about her?

A sense of evil filled him, and he felt his old darkness creeping up around the corners. For a very small moment of time, he wanted her to suffer. Suffer, like he was suffering. She had captured his heart and then torn it from him. It was only fair to return the favor.

No. He couldn't do it. She may have let him down, but he couldn't bear to let her down. He didn't care if she loved him or not. He loved her, and that was final. He wouldn't do anything to hurt her, and he wouldn't do anything to disappoint her. He couldn't bear to. He would forgive her. He had forgiven her already.

Lex shook his head, attempting to clear the evil thoughts from his head. The thoughts lifted, yet the sense of evil still surrounded him. Had he gone too far? Was it to late to turn back? No, it couldn't be. He closed his eyes and focused on Chloe, on a time that was happier than the current moment. She was at the piano, playing a song she had written just for him. He was on the sofa, the song healing his anger and softening his heart. She loved him back then. Her music told the story plainly. How he had not seen it then was a mystery to him. But he knew now that it was true. She may not love him now, but she had loved him then. He was sure of it.

Soon the song became all he thought about. The rhythm coursed through his mind, keeping him from going over. Yet still the evil remained, tempting him. He would not give in. Chloe was too important to him to give in. He would never give in.

The rhythm of her song filled him, and he drew strength from it. As long as the song filled his mind, he knew he could fight it. And she had played it for him countless times. He knew it by heart, and his heart was filled with it.

It was then that he realized that the battle before him was not one of the heart but one of the mind. His heart was safe. His mind was where the battle was taking place. But how? The heart controlled the comings and goings of evil. The mind simply responded to the heart's proddings.

Lex opened his eyes and looked around. He was no longer in his office. What? How? And then he saw it. On the wall was a glass window. Outside the window, the office. It made no sense. Unless…

The picture in the office changed and rose higher, turned towards the desk, and looked in the mirror on the desk. In the mirror stood Lex, an evil smile on his face and a flash of purple in his eyes.

Lex's eyes widened in horror. The mirror did not imitate his expression. _This is not happening._


	8. Cage

**Chapter Six - Cage**

She would not cry. She mustn't. Giving them the satisfaction of seeing her cry would be letting them win. They had taken so much from her already. She wasn't about to give them her heart, too. Her heart was all she had left. Her heart and her determination. To cry would be to let her heart be broken and her determination falter. She couldn't accept defeat. Not yet. Not while they were still watching her.

Chloe shivered. She was hungry and she was cold. Time was lost to her. It seemed like it had been days since she had woken up to…she couldn't think about it. She wasn't ready. Not yet. Thinking about it would only make her cry sooner. She would not cry. She mustn't.

She thought of Lex. Lex would know just what to do, just what to say. He always knew what to say. If only he were with her now. Everything would be okay. Everything was always okay when he was there. He would somehow fix everything. He always fixed everything. He would find a way to restore that which had been taken…

A tear fell. Damn. They would only get one tear. She would only give them one tear. She shook her head and squinted her eyes, causing the tear to be cast aside. Just as she had been cast aside. She shivered, only this time it was not from the cold. The images came, unwelcome. The feel of his skin against hers. The feel of him touching her where he shouldn't have. The feeling of complete and total helplessness. No woman should have to feel like this. It wasn't right. Everything about it wasn't right. Her body was her own. It was hers to give, not his to take. He had no right. They had no right.

Her face still stung. It had to be bruised. He had hit her hard. Punishment for resisting. But she had to resist. She could not give in. She would never give in. He might get what he wanted, but he would not get it willingly. Not while she had breath left in her. No. She would fight. She would resist. She had to.

Chloe shivered again. They hadn't even left her a blanket. Nothing to cover herself with. Nothing to keep herself warm. How long would they keep her here? Kansas could get really cold at night. Even in the fall. Perhaps she would freeze to death. Death would be welcome to what she knew lay ahead. Twice he had come. Once with the man with the camera. Once alone. The first time had been a shock. She had still been unconscious when he had started. Her shirt and her bra removed, his bare chest against hers. A nightmare. The other man had taken several pictures, then left the room. She struggled; he got up and left, taking her shirt and bra with him. Leaving her to freeze in the cold dark cage.

An animal. She felt like an animal. She was property to be used and discarded. She hated it.

The second time had been worse. He told her to strip. She refused. He hit her hard across the face, sending her to the ground. He sat on top of her and forcibly removed her pants. She didn't make it easy for him. She kicked and she screamed and she pounded his back with her fists. But he was too strong, she too weak. Once he had removed her pants, he again left. Terror filled her as she thought about what would happen when he came again.

The door to her cell rattled again, and Chloe tensed. He was coming. Again. _God, please don't let him touch me._

* * *

How was it possible for someone to be so beautiful? How was it possible for someone such as him to end up with a woman so beautiful? How had he ever deserved to be so blessed?

Clark stared at the face of his sleeping bride, his own face filled with contentment. She truly was beautiful. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, and he did not know how he had ever lived without her. It felt so natural to be with her. Life was supposed to be this good, though he never thought it would be. He was truly happy with Lois. She helped him deal with the hard and the good. She brought a smile to his face when he was down and never let him stay there for long. She made his life more fun to live, no matter what was going on. And she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

He loved watching her sleep. He could watch her sleep forever. She was so peaceful, so trusting. And she was his, as he was hers. Forever. _Wow._

Clark brushed a stray hair from her face and began to caress her forehead with his hand. She was so special, so amazing. Did she know how truly amazing she was? How lucky he was to have her? How much she strengthened him and helped him enjoy life? He wanted her to feel special. He wanted her to feel loved. She was the most amazing woman, no, the most amazing person he had ever met. She deserved to feel special. She deserved to feel loved.

Lois stirred slightly, and Clark took that as a cue to snuggle closer to her. He rested his head on her chest and wrapped an arm around her. He needed to hold her. Clark was not normally a touchy feely person. But Lois made him a different man. He needed to show her how truly special she was.

"Smallville." It was barely a whisper. An ordinary ear would not have picked it up. She was still asleep. Her breathing and their heart rate confirmed that. Yet she still whispered his name and moved an arm to his head. He smiled. He loved being married to her. How had he ever gotten so lucky?

His eyes slowly slipped closed as the scent of his wife calmed him, her touch driving him to contentment. As he joined his wife in the land of dreams, he wondered, _can life get any better than this?_

* * *

Hopelessness. Complete and utter hopelessness. To such an extent that he had never experienced in his life. It was hopeless. There was no way out, no way to regain control. He was trapped. Caged, like an animal, with no hope of getting free. How had it come to this? How had this happened?

Lex sighed in despair as he watched the presence that was in control of his body pull more of LuthorCorp's resources out of the relief effort. Thank God the water system had already been cleared. LuthorCorp was the only company that had access to a purifying agent powerful enough to rid the water of every ounce of pollutant. He had planned on releasing the compound to the public in a month's time, once it had been fully tested for potential side effects. It was ready to be massed produced, but Lex always made sure his father's company took extra steps to ensure the safety of its products. Upon learning what had been done to the water supply he had made mass producing it LuthorCorp's highest priority, and the water had been purified completely soon after. If it hadn't been, though, the city would likely still be on fire.

His thoughts shifted to Chloe. It still hurt to think about what she had done, what she had taken from him. If he would have thought it appropriate for the current stage of their relationship, he would have asked her to marry him yesterday, on their first date. He loved her and wanted to spend his life with her. Apparently she didn't. It was her right to see who she wanted to. But to ask him out and choose someone else without telling him? Did she want to see his heart broken? Was it all some sort of sick game to her?

It had to be a mistake. He knew Chloe. She was nothing like him. She was a good person, a caring person. She wouldn't intentionally hurt him. He had to be missing something. But what? The evidence was overwhelming. The hotel records showed that she had checked into the hotel. The video footage showed that she had spent the night. And the photos showed that she had slept with another man. How much clearer could the case get? The only evidence to the contrary was what he knew about Chloe. The woman he knew would never do this to him. The woman he knew loved him, as a friend at the very least. She wasn't capable of doing this to him.

A thought occurred to him. Could it be? He was possessed, unable to control anything his body was doing. Could Chloe have been possessed as well? It had to be. There was no other explanation. Hope filled him. She still loved him. She was fighting a mental battle just as he was. He couldn't give up. He had to get out. He had to help her free herself. She must be so scared, so distraught. She had watched herself have sex with another man, having no other control over her actions. She would need him. He had to escape.

Lex focused on Chloe, on her pain, on her hurt, and on her love. She was depending on him. He could not let her down. He had to regain control. She needed him.

Confidently Lex stood up, walked the short distance to the window, and began to pound on it with his fists with as much force as he could muster. The glass barely vibrated from the impact, but still he went on. It was Chloe. He had to go on. He had to get out. He had to go to her.

His hands began to bleed, staining the glass crimson. Then they grew numb. He continued to swing until he could no longer feel his arms, and he then switched to his shoulders, ramming his body into the glass, over and over. The glass would give out eventually. It had to.

His whole body began to ache. He was getting close to losing consciousness, but he willed himself to stay awake. Chloe. This was for Chloe. He could not give up. He could not let her down.

Lex felt a sharp pain shoot through his entire body as it impacted with the glass window one last time. He heard a crack upon impact, and judging from the pain involved, he guessed that he had broken or fractured a bone. As he looked up through the tears in his eyes he realized that his bone was not the only thing he had broken. A small crack had appeared in the window. He was making progress. He could do this.

Lex pulled himself up off the ground and focused himself on the window. This was going to hurt. A lot. But she was worth it. Lex charged once again into the window, screaming in pain upon impact and collapsing to the ground. It took him five minutes to find enough strength to get up again. But he did. He had to. It was Chloe. What other choice did he have?

* * *

"Hey there, pretty thing."

Chloe shuddered. She was huddled up in the corner of the room, her legs up against her chest and her arms around her knees, hiding as much flesh as possible.

"I'm going to enjoy having my way with you. And don't worry. I like my women feisty." He unbuttoned his shirt and cast it aside, then pulled the t-shirt he had under it off, exposing his very large chest. Why did he have to be so strong?

Chloe gulped in fear, tears already beginning to stream down her face. If only she had a bad heart. A heart attach would be a welcome relief to what she was about to go through.

"Crying already? We haven't even started the good stuff yet." He bent down and pulled off both his shoes, then unbuttoned his pants and pulled them off, exposing his boxers. He took those off too, leaving him clothed in only his short white socks. "Time for some fun, girl."

Her whole body was shaking, but she forced herself to stand up to face him regardless. She could not defend herself huddled up on the ground. He would get a good view of her chest, but at the moment that was not her primary concern. Keeping him from violating her body further was.

He smiled evilly. "Ah, spunk. I like that. Feisty and spunky women are the best, I've always said." He took several steps towards her, the evil smile still plastered on his face. When he was close enough so that he was just out of reach he rushed her, grabbing her by the arms and throwing her to the ground.

Her head impacted the ground hard, sending a sharp pain through her skull. She shook it off and pulled herself up quickly. She couldn't let him get on top of her. She couldn't fight him if he was on top of her.

He advanced on her again, only this time she was able to land a kick on his shin and escape his grasp. She retreated to the other side of the room, giving her as much space to maneuver as possible.

His eyes now flashed hate and anger, and his smile had disappeared, replaced with a look of disgust. "You're going to pay for that!" He rushed her quickly, and she side stepped him, grabbed his arm, and extended her foot, sending him crashing hard into the far wall. _Thank you, Lois._ Her few lessons with her cousin appeared to be coming in handy.

Chloe took several steps back, making sure she was out of his reach. She could not take time to celebrate victory. It wasn't over yet.

He stood slowly and rubbed his head. Blood dripped from the place where his hair met his forehead. Pure rage filled his eyes now. He advanced on her slowly, making her have to retreat, removing the few precious inches of space she had to maneuver. He grabbed her quickly, getting both of his strong arms on her and pinning her against the wall. He pressed his lips against hers, biting her lip when she attempted to move her face away. Her scream was muffled through the mouth that was pressed firmly against hers.

He pulled himself away and once again threw her to the ground, pulling himself on top of her before she could get up. She began to pound on him with her hands. He caught her wrists with his hands, then forcibly pulled her arms over her head, holding them there with one of his hands. He leaned in again to kiss her, and she once again turned her head. This time he let her, and began to kiss her cheek, moved his way to her neck, and then to her chest. She managed to pull one hand free and took a handful of hair and pulled. Hard.

He let go of her other hand and hit her hard across the face. It hurt, but she didn't let go, and she took her other hand and dug her nails hard into his neck. He yelled loudly, grabbed both of her wrists, one in each hand, and slammed them to the ground.

"That's it. No more mister nice guy." He took one hand and pressed it firmly against her neck, cutting off her air supply. Both her hands went to her neck in a survival response. Death may have been welcome then, but her brain apparently hadn't gotten the memo. With his other hand he reached for her panties, the only article of clothing she still had on. _Oh gawd, no._

As the life was slowly squeezed from her, her eyes met her attacker's. They were full of evil, hatred, and pleasure. He was enjoying this. _Bastard._

A purple glow flashed in his eyes then, his eyes rolled behind his head, exposing the whites, and he collapsed on top of her, completely limp. She freed the hand from her throat and coughed. Then she pushed his body off of her and scurried away from him, tears still streaming down her face.

It took her a few moments to get control of herself again. A glimpse of a shiny metal object attached to the motionless man's pants caught her attention. The key to the door. She didn't care what the hell had just happened. She was getting out of there.

She hurried over to his pants and removed the ring of keys, then took his discarded t-shirt and put it on quickly. She unlocked the cell, slid the door aside as quietly as possible, and crept out of her cage, shutting the door behind her. She took the hallway left, then peaked into the first door on the right. A vacant kitchen, littered with cabinets and a large square table in the center of it. But no exit. She moved on to the next room, and found herself in a living room. Three men were scattered around the room, all unconscious. At the back of the room was a steel door. That had to be the exit. She hurried to the door and began trying each key in the handle. None of them fit. _Damn it!_

A groan drew her attention and she turned around. The men were starting to wake up. She was running out of time. She ran out of the room and back into the kitchen, climbed up onto the counter, opened up one of the cabinets, and, finding it empty, climbed up and pulled herself into it. The space was small and confined, but she fit. She closed the door and waited. All she needed was time. Lex would come. Or Clark. One of them always came. She just needed to give them time to get to her. And perhaps, just perhaps, the men would think she had escaped.

* * *

"So what do you think?"

Lois took a good look at her husband and laughed out loud. Likely not the most tactful thing to do, but then she had promised to be honest with him and she was pretty sure he would take it in good sport.

Clark was wearing a suit of blue skin-tight tights that covered every inch of his body up to his neck. Sewn onto the chest of the suit was a red and yellow version of the El family crest, identical, save the colors, to the crest sewn into the full length robe Lois currently had on. Hanging from his neck was a long red cape, complemented by the red boots on his feet. But most surprising of all was the red underwear…on the outside of the suit. He looked good, but then he looked good in anything…and nothing.

"You don't like it?"

"Smallville, there's no way you're going to fool anyone with that suit. Sure, the tights are a little…distracting, but not enough to keep anyone from recognizing you. And keeping people from recognizing you was the whole point of a costume."

"But this is a disguise."

"Clark, it would take a complete idiot not to recognize you in that outfit."

"No, you misunderstood me. This is a Kryptonian disguise. The suit itself prevents anyone that doesn't already know about the disguise from recognizing me. I could walk up to my parents in this and they wouldn't know it was me."

"Oh."

"So, what do you think? I know the primary colors are a bit much, but they are the only colors other than white that I am able to make invulnerable. So I didn't have much to work with."

"Well, if you have to stick with those colors, I guess it is alright. Although the underwear is a bit too much."

Clark paused a moment and looked down at himself, then back up at her. "Yeah, I'm not sure what that is all about. I put the basic design and features I wanted into the computer, and this is what it gave me." He looked back over to the computer, then back at her with a look of surprise. "Oh."

"What?"

"It was designed this way so that I can wear the costume under my clothes."

"Smallville, you might be able to get your clothes around those tights, but that cape? There's no way."

He just smirked in reply. He had to know something she didn't. What was she missing?

"Okay, spill."

"Just watch."

Lois watched as Clark closed his eyes and concentrated. To her complete amazement the suit began to shrink around him, starting with the bottom of the cape, his wrists, and his boots and working its way up. The suit was literally disappearing in front of her, covering less and less of his body until all that was left was his red underwear and the yellow belt that went through it. She was once again blown away by how great her husband looked naked. Or even mostly naked, as was the case here.

"Wow. I need to get some clothes like that."

"Why?"

Lois looked at her husband as if he had lost it. "Are you serious? Do you know how much easier it would be to get out of my clothes if all I had to take off was my undergarments?"

"Yeah, but what would be the fun in that? I happen to like it when you tease me a bit."

"You do, do you?" Lois asked, giving him a mischievous grin and taking a few steps towards him. He was so asking for it.

"Yes, I do."

"We'll see about that." She reached down and undid the tie on her robe, allowing the robe to drift open ever so slightly. Then she closed the distance between them, pressed her body firmly against his, and wrapped her arms around his back, caressing it with her fingers as she began to plant kisses on his neck. He pulled her even closer, gripping her robe with his hands and pulling on it. She dropped her hands for a few seconds, letting him pull the robe completely off her, then resumed her caresses of his back.

Abruptly she stopped, pulled away, retrieved her robe, and put it back on, leaving a very shocked Clark Kent standing in her wake.

"You want to watch some TV, Smallville?"

"Huh?" was all Clark could manage to say.

Lois laughed, then made her way to their bed and picked up the remote. "Some TV. Would you like to watch some TV?"

"Uh…"

"Is your vocabulary limited to two letters?"

Lois smiled, turned her attention to the TV, hit the power button on the remote, and the box sprung to life. On one of her early visits to the fortress Lois had made him hook up the TV so that she could watch cable. She still wasn't quite sure how it worked, but the technical details were not really that important.

Clark, finally coming to grips with what had just happened, supersped to the bed and lifted her into his arms.

"Okay, you've proven your point. Now-" He paused abruptly and turned his attention to the TV. Lois looked at him, annoyed.

"Smallville, is that really more interesting than me?"

"Lois, look."

She did. A news anchor was describing the latest development of the Metropolis attack.

"_The city is still in critical need, as many people are still trapped under fallen debris and others are still waiting for medical treatment. With LuthorCorp's withdraw from the relief effort the people of Metropolis are in even further need._"

Lois' eyes widened and she looked at her husband. "You have to go back."

"I know."

"Go. I'll take the cave portal back to Smallville and go over to your parents' house. Metropolis needs a super man."

Clark put her down, closed his eyes for a split second, and was once again in his suit. He turned to leave, then paused momentarily. "You are not calling me Superman."

Lois smirked. "We'll talk about this later. Now go!"

* * *

One more. Just one more charge would do it. Just one more charge and he would be free. He could do this.

Lex mentally split the task before him into smaller steps, then devoted his entire attention to each step. Roll over to belly. Check. Put both hands on the ground. Check. Push down with both hands. Check. Pull legs towards body. Check. Slide hands to knees. Check. Shift weight from knees to feet. Check. Push up with feet and arms. Check. Straighten back. Check.

Finally in a standing position, Lex turned to the window. His body ached everywhere. Both of his arms throbbed in pain, likely broken. His legs, torso, head, and nearly every other part of his body were not in much better shape. Blood streamed down both cheeks from his head. Those parts of his body that were not broken or bleeding were most certainly bruised. If he were to look in a mirror he would guess that he had been run over by a car. Or beaten to a bloody pulp by four or five men. But his condition had not been inflicted by someone else. He had done this to himself. For Chloe.

_Only one more time._ Lex suppressed the pain and concentrated on moving as fast as he could towards the nearly shattered window. Seconds before he impacted something changed. The glass healed itself, repairing chips, cracks, and even removing blood. He did not notice the change until it was too late, and he came slamming into the glass at full speed, then fell down the ground, flat on his back.

He turned his head to the side and coughed, then wiped the blood from his mouth and looked back at the glass. It was unharmed. _No! Chloe!_

A flash of purple light radiated in front of him, slowly swirling into a tangible shape, until it took the form of a humanoid being. The purple cleared and Lex found himself staring at an image of himself.

"Hello, Lex." Though the body was an image of his own, the voice was not. It was a dark, menacing voice that radiated evil and malice. "You've caused quite a bit of trouble. But as you can see, it is hopeless to resist. I have control now."

No! Chloe.

"Yes, Chloe. You're little blond girlfriend. I have enjoyed toying with her immensely."

What?

"Don't look so surprised. If I can control you, what makes you think I cannot control others? You should have seen the look on her face when I had my way with her. It was priceless."

Anger rose from Lex's chest and filled his being. No one touched Chloe. No one.

"You're little demonstration has only delayed the inevitable. She is going to suffer, and she is going to die. And there is nothing you can do to stop me."

The anger continued to rise from within him, coursing through every molecule. It was not an anger he had experienced before. It was a righteous anger. A holy anger. An anger directed at the being that had done unimaginable things. To Chloe. His Chloe.

"It is ironic, really. Possession is what is preventing you from saving the woman you love, and your love for this woman is what allowed me to posses you in the first place. It is such a heartwarming tale, is it not?"

Unnoticed to both Lex and…Lex, Lex's body began to heal, the rage cleansing him and strengthening him. This being could not be allowed to hurt Chloe. Not again. Not anymore. His jaw tightened and his teeth clenched. His hands formed into fists, and his arms began to shake. And all at once everything clicked, as a part of his mind that had been locked off was opened up to him. He saw everything. Every thought, every motive, every desire. This being was evil. Pure, unadulterated evil.

He saw what it had done to Chloe, what it was doing to Chloe at that moment, and the floodgates of righteous anger opened up. He stood up and looked the being that looked like himself right in the eye.

"You will not touch her ever again."

The Entity took a step back, a slight glimmer in its eyes. Fear. It only lasted a moment, but Lex saw it.

"You cannot stop me. Only I can choose to leave a body. You let me in, and now only I can choose to leave."

Lex walked up to the Entity, took it by the throat, and threw it across the room. It got up, dusted itself off, turned back to Lex, and smiled.

"You see? I hold the power here. You cannot touch me. Nothing you do will save the one you love. She will suffer. And then she will die. And I will be sure to let you be there to see it."

"No." It was not a plea. It was not a cry of anguish. It was a statement, clear and simple.

"No? Just who do you think you are? Do you have any idea what I am?"

"Yes. Perfectly. And I will not let you touch her again."

The Entity's eyes widened as realization hit it with full force. _Oh no._

The mind is an interesting thing. Pain is only as real as the mind makes it. Reality is only as real as the mind perceives it. And rules are only as real as the mind believes them to be. In the mind, anything is possible. And in that moment this clarity was granted to Lex.

The Entity watched in horror as chains came up from the floor and latched onto its wrists, ankles, and neck. It struggled against the chains, only to have them tighten further. Then a cage fell from the ceiling and sealed itself to the floor, further trapping the Entity in Lex's mind.

"You will not hurt her. I will not let you hurt her. I may not be able to remove you from my mind, but now you cannot remove yourself from my mind either. You are trapped as I am trapped. You are caged as I am caged. And there is nothing you can do to stop me."

Lex paused and let the echo sink in. Now this was true irony.

* * *

Snippets. For the past hour and a half, that was all she had heard. Small snippets of conversation. Not that she minded. Being able to hear conversations in full would mean that her kidnappers were close, so only hearing snippets was encouraging. Still, she would have liked to have known what was going on. Were they looking for her? Did they think she had escaped? How long were they going to stay?

Chloe's body ached for staying in the same position for so long. Yet she dared not move. Not yet. They might hear her. She could not let them hear her. She didn't think she could survive another assault.

The voices began to draw closer, and she shivered. It was him. The man who had nearly raped her. The mere sound of his voice created panic inside of her.

"Do you think there will be food in the kitchen?" This from the man who had attempted to violate her.

"There should be. People did live here, after all."

"Really? Do you think they will return and unlock the door so we can get the hell out of here?"

"No. They won't be coming back. I killed them."

"You what!?"

"Hey, you raped a young college girl earlier against your will. It's not like I had any choice."

"Don't remind me. Although let me tell you, that girl was fine. I certainly did enjoy the show."

"I hear you there. I wouldn't have minded having a turn with her myself. Though I still don't understand how she escaped."

"Me either. It is a pity, really, that she got away. She might have made the time pass by a bit more quickly."

"You're telling me. All of us could have had a turn with her by now. Although I don't think Paul would have approved."

"To hell with Paul. All he's done since he woke up is mope about killing his partner. The guy wouldn't know fun if it hit him in the face. How he ended up here with the rest of us, I don't know."

The conversation paused at this point, and Chloe heard the fridge door open and the clashing of glass and plastic. Paul? Partner? Her eyes widened and she choked back a sob. Bryan was dead, likely from trying to save her. Could this day get any worse?

"Did you here that?"

Chloe froze, held her breath, and hoped against hope that they would not investigate further.

"Hear what?"

"That noise. It sounded like a groan. Though I'm not sure where it came from."

"I didn't hear anything."

"I'm sure I heard a groan."

"Hhmmm…well, it was probably Paul, crying over his long lost partner. That guy is such a wimp."

"You're telling me. Hey, do you want a beer?"

"Sure. Do they have food in there, too?"

"How's this?"

"Wow. I like how these people lived. Come on. Let's go see if we can't go torture Paul a little bit more. Get a few more groans out of him, you know?"

"Sounds good to me."

Both men laughed, and their voices faded from earshot. Chloe let go of her breath and sighed, attempting to slow the rate of her heartbeat. She shifted her weight just a little bit, attempting to make a very uncomfortable position just a small bit more bearable. Her foot shifted a mere two inches. Just enough to knock over a glass cup, causing it to break and knock over three other glasses in the process. _Oh no._

* * *

Clark swept the city again, tuning his ears to the sound of the human heartbeat, hoping to discover someone alive among the rubble. He had been searching the city for over an hour, and had freed nearly one hundred people so far. But one hundred was not nearly enough. He would not be satisfied with his efforts until every last person was rescued. To die all alone, covered in rock and soot…he wouldn't wish that fate on anyone. And he was determined to not let it happen.

His thoughts turned to Lex. He was really worried about his friend. Something had happened to him over the past several hours. The Lex he knew would never withdraw help to those in need unless there were others that needed the resources more. And Clark had a hard time believing that anyone needed more help than the people of Metropolis at the moment. What had happened to his friend?

Clark picked up the sound of a very weak heartbeat. It was fading fast. He honed in on the fading rhythm, located the direction it was coming from, and zoomed towards it as fast as he could, creating a sonic boom behind him. Once he arrived at the scene, he scanned the area with his x-ray vision and located a small girl trapped under several tons of debris. She was lucky. If she had been anywhere else in the building when it had collapsed, she would not have survived. As it was, she was still in pretty bad shape. The amount of oxygen available to her was getting low, her leg was broken, and her arms and torso were badly burned. She would not survive much longer. He had to work quickly and carefully.

He removed as much rubble as possible from the top of the pile as he could without threatening the structure of the small air pocket the child was trapped in. At this point he quickly considered his options. He was still a good twenty feet from the helpless child. Physics dictated that any attempt to remove any more debris would collapse the small pocket that was keeping her alive. He played with the calculation in his head, altering variables, adding new constants, all in an effort to find a loophole, some way to rescue the girl without hurting her further. He considered everything, from the logical to the completely bizarre. One thing became frighteningly clear: the child was truly trapped.

The child's breathing slowed even further as her heartbeat began to slow in stride. He needed to act quickly, or she would not survive. Panic hit him, edging him forward. Shutting down his mind, he let instinct take over.

Two lasers shot out of his eyes, meeting at a spot ten feet from the girl. The ground began to heat up, and just before it turned to liquid he stopped, closed in, and cooled the spot quickly with his breath, hardening it. Turning to the girl, he dove into the ground with his arms extended, pushing through dirt, wood, concrete, and steel. He reached the girl in less than a second, covering her with his body as the ground above them began to collapse. With the support of his back and that of the newly strengthened foundation several feet away, the air bubble held. For three seconds.

Clark used those three seconds well. He took the girl into his arms and wrapped his cape around her, completely shielding her with his body. Then he flew straight up, the wood, concrete, and steel glancing off of him as he went. Once freed from the rubble, he rushed the girl to the nearest shelter with room.

"This girl is going to need medical attention. She has a broken leg, severe burns, and some smoke and dust in her lungs."

The nurse simply nodded, her eyes wide with surprise, likely from the shock of seeing a man fly.

"Miss?"

"I'll take care of her."

"Good." He set the girl down on the bed next to the nurse, nodded to the nurse, and took off back to the skies. There were still more people to save.

* * *

How? Such a short word, yet full of questions upon questions and riddles upon riddles. How had he ended up with such evil company? How had he lost control? How had his coworker and, more importantly, friend been killed? At his hand? How had he failed so miserably to uphold everything he held dear? The questions never stopped, and each one stemmed from that one word. How the hell had any of this happened?

Paul Ackers stroked his forehead as he huddled in the corner, attempting to shut out the conversation from the men in the other room as well as deal with his own inner demons. And that, he realized, must be it. Demons. There was no other explanation that made any sense. He had been possessed by demons. He had ignored the warnings of his parents, his friends, and even his wife. They had all been right all along, yet he had foolishly dismissed their pragmatic dogma to go his own way, to follow his own path. And in so doing he had opened himself up to the very forces that he had unsuccessfully been attempting to wish out of existence. Perhaps if he had believed them he wouldn't be in this situation. Perhaps one of his best friends would not be dead. Perhaps his employer's girlfriend would not have been so harshly treated.

This was all his fault. He did not know what unseen battle was taking place, nor what the stakes involved were. What he did know was that, willingly or not, he had been fighting for the wrong side. Worse, he had played a key role. If he had been stronger, if he had simply listened to the people that were close to him, Chloe Sullivan would have escaped and Bryan Marshall would still be alive. He had been the one that had caught her and knocked her out, and he had been the one to stab his friend in the back. Literally.

At least Chloe had gotten away. She had been raped and beaten first, but she had gotten away. He was thankful for at least that small blessing. He did not want to see what three former Dread members would do to an innocent girl in order to kill some time. He had seen the end result of that more than one time before several years ago, when the Dreads were still very much a part of the neighborhood. It was not a pretty sight, and the girl in question rarely survived. And if they knew who she was she would be in even more trouble. Three former Dreads in possession of the girlfriend of the man who had eliminated their gang for good? That would not go over well.

Still, even that one small blessing did not make up for the things he had done. Horrible, horrible things. If only he had a second chance. If only he could go back, everything would be different. If only he had not nearly cheated on his wife, all in the name of rebellion against her new religion. Perhaps then he would not have opened himself up to forces he did not understand and perhaps Chloe and Bryan would be fine. Not to mention Lex. He could not imagine what his boss was going through at the moment. He thought the love of his life was sleeping with another man. That, too, was his fault. He had been the one to bring the "evidence" of his girlfriend's transgressions to him. Lex would have turned the world upside down looking for Chloe. Paul had no doubt of that. The man loved that girl more than life itself. If he had simply fought against the demons possessing him harder, perhaps he could have warned Lex. Lex would have found Chloe and saved her before anything further could happen to her, and Paul would have in some small way redeemed himself from the horrors he had caused so far.

One more chance. All he wanted was one more chance. One more chance, at any moment along the way. _God, I know you're out there somewhere now. Please, just give me one more chance to make up for my failures._ He knew his prayer was hopeless. But he prayed it anyway, because it was what he truly wanted. If he could even make just a small difference, take back just a small amount of the damage he had caused. It would be enough. It would not make up for what he had done, but it would be enough.

A crash from the other room broke him from his thoughts, followed by a loud scream. The third Dread, who had been reclining on the couch in the living room, got up to see what had happened, only to smile widely when he saw what his two friends had with them.

"So the blond didn't escape after all. Now we can have some fun." He ran to the others and grabbed Chloe by the legs, helping them bring her to the living room. "She's a feisty one."

"That's what I've been telling you all along. I told you we could have some real fun with her."

The three men dropped her to the ground, still holding onto her arms and legs. The third man released her legs and sat on top of her, sliding his hands down to her waist and under her shirt, towards her chest.

"We are going to have fun with you, darling. Now let's see what you are hiding under that shirt of yours."

He never got the chance to find out, as a lamp, still plugged in, hit him in the head, knocking him off her and to the ground, and sending jolts of electricity through him in the process. Before either of the other men could react, they too found themselves on the ground in pain.

Paul reached down and took Chloe by the hand, helping her up. "Stay behind me." She only nodded and quietly obeyed, her eyes a mixture of gratitude and confusion. He only took a second to acknowledge her before returning his eyes to the threat at hand: the three Dreads getting up from the ground. Or two, as the first one had been knocked unconscious by his first blow. The two men got up and advanced on them, and Paul prepared himself. This was his second chance. This was the redemption opportunity he had prayed for. He was not going to let Chloe down again. He would die before he let them touch her again. And there was a pretty good chance that death would be on the menu for him today. But he made the choice willingly. He had fought for the wrong side for too long. Today was a new beginning, even if it was the end. He would do his part. He only hoped it would be enough.

* * *

Each and every victim still touched Clark's heart. The little girl who had been trapped under several tons of rubble, the man that had been crushed to death yet had saved his son in the process, the woman who would never be able to walk again because of a spinal injury, and all the others he had seen in pain, sorrow, and defeat over the past day and over the past hour added a tear to the reservoir of tears he buried inside. The tears would be shed later, when so many lives did not hang in the balance. Lois would be there to hold him and help him through each one, just as she had been earlier that day. But for now he kept his feelings inside. It was the only way he could continue to work and help people.

Even in that moment, Lois was there. He felt her and the support and love that she always radiated to him. She felt each emotion that he felt, even though he kept the emotions inside. There were no secrets between them, even on the emotional level. She knew he would need her later in the day to cope with all he had seen, and she knew what was going on inside of him at the present moment. And she bore every inward tear with him, willingly, because she loved him and cared as much as he did for the people around her.

Clark knew without a shadow of a doubt that he would not survive this tragedy, and the many more that were likely to come, without her constant support and strength or without the love that so clearly shone directly into his heart each and every moment of each and every day. Even in her sleeping hours he felt her love. And when he slept beside her with his arms around her and her hand in his, their shared dreams further demonstrated to him how much she truly loved him. For the dreams were always centered on him, exactly as he was.

Clark stopped for a moment, flew down and put out a fire, then soared back into the air, looking for other ways he could help. And he could help. Earlier in his life he had viewed his abilities as a curse. They prevented him from being normal and living the normal life he wanted to have. How wrong he had been back then. His powers were not a curse. They were a gift, a blessing. He did not feel worthy to be blessed with such power, but he was thankful that he had been. So many people needed help, and without his gifts, so many people would have to go unhelped. His abilities allowed him to save so many more than he ever would have been able to otherwise.

And a normal life? It was highly overrated. What he shared with Lois was far from normal. It was special. It was greater than anything he could have ever possibly imagined. And it was his abilities, his heritage, that had given him such a special relationship. To love Lois was the most wonderful experience in the world. But to love her and be connected to her on a level that he doubted anyone on the planet had ever shared before? Nothing compared. Nothing. And he would not trade what he had with her for anything.

"_Clark._"

Lois' inner voice, the voice of her thoughts that only he ever got to hear, echoed through his mind.

"_Lois, what is it?_"

"_Chloe, she's in trouble. You have to find her. Quickly._"

Clark's eyes widened at the mention of his new cousin's name. Nothing else needed to be said. It was Chloe, his childhood and current friend and Lois' one true strength outside of himself.

He closed his eyes and focused his mind on one thing and one thing only: Chloe. Then he reached out with his hearing, searching for her voice, moving throughout the city at supersonic speeds in order to increase his range.

When he picked up the sound of her scream he stopped dead cold, turned around, and flew as fast as he could towards her.

"_Lois, she sounds so scared._"

"_Just get to her. She needs you. She needs me._"

In seconds he arrived in the general vicinity of her scream, then scanned the area in order to pinpoint her location. He did not see her anywhere, but it was what he did not see that drew his attention. One house, out of all the houses in the area, was lined in lead. He looked at the building curiously, wondering why such a thing would be done. Another scream came from the building in question, and Clark threw any reservations he had to the wind behind him as he closed in on the house and ripped off the door.

Rage filled him as he took in the scene before him. Two men lay on the floor, one unconscious and the other beaten to a bloody pulp. Two other men were standing near the right wall, several cuts and bruises present but still in pretty good shape. But it was what the two men were doing that caused the anger to fill him. They had Chloe pinned to the wall, wearing only a pair of panties and a white t-shirt that was ripped in several places. One man was kissing her neck and face, while the other had begun to stick his arms up what was left of her shirt.

"_Clark, don't kill them._"

Clark sped to the men and pulled them off Chloe, throwing them to the other side of the room with enough force to knock them out but not enough to seriously injure them. Then he turned to Chloe.

Chloe looked at him with fear in her eyes for a moment, only to soften and throw herself into his arms when she saw the kindness and love in his eyes. He held her, stroking her hair and comforting her with soft words.

"It is okay now, Chloe. You are safe. You are safe."

She sobbed in his arms for several minutes, then pulled away and turned to the man that lay beaten and bloody on the ground. Clark looked at her questioningly, and she responded in a voice just above a whisper. "He tried to protect me." He nodded, scanned his body, and knelt at his side. He wasn't going to survive. Moving him would only end his life sooner.

The man looked up into Clark's eyes and attempted to speak. His first attempt was broken by a spout of coughing up blood. Clark wiped the blood away and held his head up to help him speak.

"Is…she safe? Did they…touch…her?"

"She is safe. You did a good job. Thank you."

The man nodded as best as he could, then looked to Clark again.

"Tell…tell my wife…she was right. Tell her…she was right." He coughed again, then flashed a look of pain, and his heart stopped beating. Clark closed his eyes with his fingers and set him back down.

"Is he…"

"He is gone."

She shed several more tears, and Clark took her in his arms and took off to the sky. Her tears slowed as she realized where she was, and she gripped onto him tightly.

"Who are you?"

Clark smiled for her, then turned his head back in front of him, plotting the route that would take him home. To Smallville, to his parents, and to Lois. They would be able to help her far better than he could. He had done his part to save her, now it was his wife's turn to heal her heart.

"I'm a friend."

* * *

No! No, no, no, no! This was not how it was supposed to be. This was not how it had planned things. This was a disaster, and not one of the good kinds. Kal-El had saved Chloe, and worse, Lex knew it, and it gave him strength. Nothing that went through its mind was sacred. Not anymore. Not since Lex had crippled it, trapping it in his body.

The Entity was furious. This was a major setback. There was still room to work, but it had to be careful now. Very, very careful. It still had control of Lex's body, but that was all it could control. It could leave, removing itself completely from Lex's body and thus freeing itself to possess several beings at a time, but doing so would remove the stronghold it had in place in Lex, preventing it from possessing him again. And it needed Lex. He was far too valuable an asset to give up.

It could temporarily possess one other victim, but it would temporarily lose control of Lex in the process. And Lex could severely cripple its plans if left in control for even a few seconds, especially since he knew exactly what its plans were already.

It would have to bide its time, pretending to be Lex, the good Lex, while preparing Kal-El for possession. Or destruction, if it came to that. But it doubted it would. Its plan was too perfect to fail, even with the crippling Lex had given it. The fight was not over. Not yet. Not by a long shot.


	9. Nightmares

**Chapter Seven - Nightmares**

Clark had her. She was safe now. She wasn't in any danger any longer. She would be fine. She had to be fine. He would keep her safe. He would protect her. That's what he did, and he did it well. Chloe was safe.

Lois repeated the phrase over and over in her mind, keeping herself sane, keeping the panic from overcoming her. Her little cousin was in trouble. No, she was safe. _She is safe. Clark has her._

Lois continued to pace back and forth on the front porch of the Kent farm, killing time until her husband arrived with her beloved cousin. She knew what he would say. "You're going to wear holes in your shoes, pacing like that." She would smirk at him, tell him "Well, Smallville, I do have fifteen hundred other pair. So losing one pair of shoes isn't that big of a deal," and then she would continue pacing. She of course did not have fifteen hundred pairs of shoes. No, that was only what Clark had said the first time he had seen her collection, and the number had stuck.

Thinking about Clark did little to quiet her anxiety. Only one thing would quiet her anxiety: holding her cousin in her arms, knowing that she was safe. Clark had her, and was on his way, but still her fears would not go away. Ever since Bryan Marshall had called from the hospital and told her of her kidnapping and his very close touch with death, Lois had been in a panic. Her cousin, her Chloe, was in the hands of unknown men with an unknown purpose. Her Chloe was in trouble.

_No. She's safe. She's going to be fine. Clark has her. It will all be okay._

Lois paused her assault on the patio floor, closing her eyes and focusing on Clark. A minute. He was a minute away. Only one more minute. Lois rubbed her forehead with her right hand, then continued to pace back and forth. One minute was too long. She needed to see Chloe now. Right now. She needed to hold her and tell her that it would be okay. She needed to see her.

Lois spotted them while they were still a long way off, and turned towards them and ran. Several seconds later Clark landed near the house, his cape wrapped around a small figure he held in his arms. _Oh gawd, Chloe. What have they done to you?_

"Lois, she's going to need a blanket."

She only nodded and held out her arms, indicating that he release Chloe to her. He shook his head. "She's asleep. She's going to need a blanket."

"Take her upstairs to your old room." He nodded, and she followed him to the house, looking her cousin over as she went.

She gasped when she saw Chloe's face. Her right eye was badly bruised, and the rest of her face was covered in scratches and cuts. Even in her dreams, her face looked troubled.

"What happened to her?"

Clark paused and swallowed hard, attempting to hold back the tears. The depth of his emotions halted her in her steps, overcoming her and bringing tears to her own eyes. _Oh gawd, what did they do to you Chloe?_

He closed his eyes tightly, then shook the tears from his eyes. "We need to get her in bed." Lois opened the front door for him, and he stepped inside and headed for the stairs. He paused at the top, allowing Lois to catch up and open up the door for him. She pulled back the blankets; he unwrapped the cape and laid her down on the bed, allowing Lois to see for the first time just how bad it was.

Chloe's body was covered in bruises. She had several hickies on her neck and on her stomach. And by the look of her clothing, or rather lack of clothing, Lois could decipher what had happened. _Oh please no._

Lois' knees grew weak and she collapsed to the floor. She barely registered Clark tucking Chloe into bed, or his presence at her side once he was finished. It took her several minutes to realize that she was crying, and several more to realize that she was in her husband's arms and that he was crying with her. She moved her hands around Clark and pulled him closer, and together they attempted to guide each other through the nightmare that had befallen the life of the one they both loved so dearly.

* * *

_It never stops._ The thought raced circles in Chloe's mind, confusing her and disheartening her at the same time. She had hoped with her rescue that the nightmare would end. But it never would, would it? Was the world trying to kill her? Was it trying to drive her insane? Why did it have to take everything she had ever valued from her? What did she do to deserve all of this?

Lois. Her cousin. Her best friend. She looked up to her. She was her role-model, her own personal hero. And now this. How could Lois do this to her? To Clark? And why? Clark was one of the most amazing men on the planet. What could have come over her? How could she cheat on Clark?

Chloe did not need this right now. She had enough problems of her own to deal with. Her world was falling apart. At least Lex still loved her. But where was he? Why was he not with her, by her side? She looked around. She was in Clark's bed, at the farm in Smallville. _He must be stuck in Metropolis, helping all those people._ That was just like him. Of course he would be there first.

"Lois, how could you?" It was said barely over a whisper, but it did catch Lois' attention. She got up from her chair near the bed and hurried to Chloe's side.

"Chloe, you're awake! How…are you?"

"Lois, how could you?"

"What?"

"How could you do this to Clark?"

"Chloe, what are you talking about?"

"I saw you kiss him. That man. The one that saved me from…I saw you kiss him. You can't deny it."

Lois laughed slightly, smiled, and looked Chloe in the eyes. "Chloe, that was Clark."

"No, I…what? But…"

It clicked. Why hadn't she seen it before? Of course it was Clark. It looked like Clark. It could fly like Clark. Lois wouldn't kiss anyone but Clark. Suggesting otherwise was crazy. Her face paled and panic began to set in. _Oh no. Am I going crazy?_

"Baby, it's okay. It's his suit. It's a disguise; some Kryptonian mental thing. It prevents anyone from recognizing him unless they know already." Lois sat down on the bed next to her, looked her in the eye with a look of concern, and put a hand on her shoulder. "It's going to be okay."

A hand on her shoulder. Another one climbing up her chest. The feel of wet lips on her skin, touching her in places it shouldn't have. It all came rushing back. She tensed, ready to fight, and the tears returned to her eyes. Her hand slapped Lois' arm away and she curled her arms in front of her, protecting her chest.

The concern in Lois' eyes deepened, filling with love and a small amount of hurt as well. "Chloe, I…"

"Please, don't touch me. It's too hard."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know. Do you want to talk about it?"

"No."

"Can I get you anything? Are you hungry? Thirsty?"

"Could you…get me a change of clothes? I don't want to be in this anymore."

"Sure. I'll be right back. I'm sure Mom has something here that fits you. All my things have already been moved up to our new apartment in Metropolis."

"Mom?"

"Yeah, Mom. Can I get you anything else?"

"No."

"Okay. I'll be right back with those clothes. Will you be okay for a few minutes?"

Chloe nodded, then watched as Lois left the room. Once she was gone, Chloe buried her face in her hands and wiped her eyes down in the process. She couldn't even let anyone touch her. _Why did this have to happen to me?_

* * *

"How is she doing?"

Lois glanced at her mother-in-law before throwing herself on the couch and sighing loudly.

"That good?"

"She's sleeping right now. If you can call what she does sleep. She thrashes and shakes almost constantly. Mom, I don't know what to do. I don't know how to help her."

Martha smiled inwardly at Lois' words. _I knew I'd get her to call me Mom eventually._ Now, though, was not the time to dwell on such things. She left the kitchen, sat down next to her daughter, and took her hand.

"It is going to take time, Lois. What happened to Chloe was horrible and traumatic. It is going to take her some time to deal with it. All you can do is be there for her."

"But that's just it! She won't let me be there for her. She won't let me even touch her. She won't talk to me. She's internalizing everything. And I know from experience that it doesn't work."

"Lois, give her time. She is a smart woman. Give her a chance to come to terms with everything that has happened. She will open up to you, or Lex, when she is ready."

"I know. I know. I just hate to see her like this. I want to take her pain away, to bear this for her."

"I know. I wish I could too. But that is not how these things work. No matter how much we want to take her pain away, we can't. Chloe is going to have to deal with a lot of this on her own." She paused for a moment and looked Lois over. The past few days had really taken a toll on her, and Martha could tell that her emotional tank was running close to empty. It was time for a fill up. "Now come on. Let's get you something to eat."

Lois frowned slightly. "I'm not very hungry."

"Nonsense. You haven't eaten anything since this morning when Clark first brought Chloe here. No one goes hungry in my house. You are going to eat, young lady, and you are going to enjoy it. Do we understand each other?"

"Yes, Mrs. Kent!" Lois said, standing up and saluting, military style.

Martha laughed and turned to the kitchen. "Good. And don't call me Mrs. Kent."

Lois laughed, hugged her from behind, and kissed her on the cheek. "Sure thing, Mom." Then she took her place at the table. "Well? I'm waiting. Where's my food?"

"Patience is a virtue."

"So is urgency."

"So is helpfulness."

"So is independence."

"Yes, but laziness is not."

"Really? 'Cause it's one of my virtues."

"Fine." Martha turned around and put her hands on her hips, smirked in a typical Lois Lane fashion, and sat down in the seat across from Lois.

"What are you doing?"

"Your good character is rubbing off on me. I am now a converted sloth."

"Ah. It all makes sense now. But…who's going to make us our food?"

"Jonathan should be back any moment."

"You are going to make your husband cook for you? I like the way you think."

"I thought you would."

Lois smiled, then paused for a moment before looking her in the eye. "Mom?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

Martha smiled in return. She knew just what she meant. "Anytime."

* * *

Clark smiled as he took one last sweep of the city. Metropolis was doing better. After he had left Chloe in his wife's care he had returned to his task of helping the city recover from the attack, and the day's work had paid off. The city was on its way to recovery. It would never recover fully. The events of the past few days would forever be ingrained in the minds of Metropolitans. But the city was healing. The people were healing. And it was a start.

Satisfied that the city was safe for the moment, Clark began his now nightly visit to each of the shelters to make sure there were no supplies that were low or needed. Once he finished visiting each one he could return home to check on Chloe and Lois. Lois' emotions had been back and forth all day, though over the past hour her strength had been gradually returning. And he had a good idea who was behind that change of events. _Thank you, Mom._

He touched down at the first shelter on his list and was met by a large group of people. The inside of the shelter had long since filled up, and volunteers had been forced to begin moving people outside, lying them down on cots, blankets, and anything else soft they could get their hands on.

"It's Superman!" yelled one man, causing most of the rest of the group to turn and look. Clark smiled and then sighed inwardly. _I'm going to kill Lois._

"Good evening. Is there anything that I can help you with?"

Everyone that could walk began to crowd around him. It seemed everyone wanted a glimpse of the savior of Metropolis, of Superman. Unfortunately their curiosity was at the cost of the hurting people spread throughout the parking lot. Didn't they see that the people hurting around them were more important than he was? He was only there to help.

A loud voice rang out from near the back of the crowd. "Everyone please return to what you were doing before. Superman is here to help. You are keeping him from helping." The authority in the voice was very clear, and the crowd began to disperse back to their previous activities. "Thank you." As the last two people returned to their previous activities the man from the back approached Clark and addressed him. "Hello Superman."

"Hello Lex. Thank you."

"No problem, _Clark_," Lex said, the last word said at less than a whisper.

Clark nodded. "So you are back on the relief effort?"

"Yes."

"Why…"

"…did I leave?" Clark nodded. "It was Chloe. I couldn't find her after the attack. I pulled all my resources together to find her. I know it was selfish, but I couldn't bear to see anything happen to her. But your mother called earlier today and let me know she was at the farm, so now I'm back."

"Did she tell you what happened to her?"

"What? She's okay, isn't she?"

"She is safe now. But…they…they tried to rape her."

"What? Who?"

"Lex, you can't go after them. You have to let the city handle it. I have taken them to the authorities and I will testify when the time comes. But you have to let the courts handle it."

"I am going to find out one way or another. You might as well tell me now."

"Lex, listen to me. Don't worry about them. Justice will be served. Chloe is the one who needs you right now."

Lex paused for a moment before nodding. "You're right, of course. Are you headed there now?"

"I have seven more shelters to visit, then I am heading home, yes. Would you like me to come back and take you with me once I finish?"

"No. I'll fly down to Smallville myself once I find a spare moment. There is still much I must do here."

Clark nodded. He understood putting the people in need before the ones he loved all too well. "Is there anything you need?"

"No. We are managing here."

"Very well. You know how to get in touch with me. If you do need anything, call."

"I will."

"Lex?"

"Yes?"

"She is going to get through this. She's a strong woman, just like my Lois."

"Thank you."

Clark nodded, turned to the sky, and took off into the air towards the next shelter on his list. He reached out his ears in route for any signs of people in danger or in need, causing him to miss what Lex said just under a whisper as he left.

"Even she is not strong enough for what is to come."

* * *

"You have been married for a few days now. So be honest with me. How good is my son in bed?"

"Martha!"

Martha turned to her husband. "Nuh uh uh! You are supposed to be making us dinner, not participating in our conversation. Now back to work!"

Martha turned back to Lois and watched her laugh. "You tell him, Mom. You tell him."

Martha smiled, then looked at Lois questioningly. "Well?"

"Well what?"

"How is Clark in bed?"

"Oh. Right." She paused for a moment, and Martha smiled at the dreamy look in her eyes.

"That good?"

"I don't know how to even begin describing Clark to you. He's so caring, so gentle, so amazing. He's thankful for the little things. He actually notices all the little things I do for him. He loves me, and that means more to me than anything. Just thinking about him is turning me on. Is it wrong for me to love a man so much? Or to want to spend every waking and nonwaking moment with him?"

"Of course not, Lois. I love Jonathan just as much. I don't know what I would do without him. Although if he doesn't bring us our dinner soon, that may change," she said with a wink.

Jonathan chose that moment to set their plates down in front of them. Two sandwiches, one on each plate. Then he put his arms around his wife's neck and kissed her softly on the cheek. "I love you too, darling."

"As do I, sweetheart."

Martha looked up in surprise at the sound of her son's voice, only to see Lois stand up, wrap her arms around her husband, and kiss him deeply. She smiled widely. They truly were happy together.

"I think they have the right idea, Martha," Jonathan whispered in her ear before beginning to kiss her on the neck. She was a little shocked at her husband's display, as he usually wasn't this open with his affections for her, but then he did have some good inspiration to draw from. And that inspiration was currently heavily involved in a make-out session only a few feet from her. Something she currently wanted to engage in with her husband. She pulled herself out of her chair and wrapped her arms around Jonathan, then met his lips with hers, closing her eyes and taking in the sensation in the process. It didn't matter how long she spent with him, she still never tired of his affections. If anything, her joy grew with each year.

Just when it seemed that the two couples were both going to go beyond making out at the same time, a loud shrilling noise broke the moment. Martha pulled away slightly from her husband and looked him in the eyes. "I really should get that."

"They will call back if it is important." He leaned in and began kissing her again.

Another loud shrill, and Martha pulled away again. "I really should answer the phone." Her husband sighed and released her, and she hurried over to the phone and put it to her ear. "Hello?"

"_May I speak to Lois Lane Kent?_"

Martha glanced over at her daughter-in-law, who was still wrapped in her husband's arms, and sighed. "She is a little held up at the moment. May I ask who is calling?"

"_This is Mary, from the Metropolis Medical Center. I'm afraid I must speak to Mrs. Kent personally._"

"Very well." Martha put her hand over the phone and called out, "Lois, phone call."

"Take a…message,…I'm…busy," Lois managed to say in between kisses from Clark, who still happened to be wearing his red, yellow, and blue tights.

"They only want to speak to you. It sounds urgent."

Lois sighed, pulled away from her husband, kissed him once more, and whispered something to him. He nodded, and she turned towards Martha and took the phone from her.

"Hello…yes, this is she…yes…he did?...yes…you're sure?...yes, I will…thank you. Goodbye."

"Who was it?" Jonathan asked.

"The hospital."

"Oh. Was that about Mr. Marshall?" Martha asked.

"No, not that hospital."

"What did they want?"

"Well, Mom, let's just say that I'm going to be talking to you a lot more in the future."

"Why?"

"For parenting advice."

Martha and her husband's eyes both widened considerably, and Martha said what was on both of their minds. "Oh. So soon?"

* * *

"Huh?" Lois looked at her mother-in-law in confusion. _So soon? What is she talking about?_

"Don't you think this is a little soon?"

"I don't understand. Too soon for what?"

Clark walked over to her and took her hand. He was smiling widely, apparently amused at the whole situation.

"_What's so funny, Smallville?_" she asked him mentally once their fingers had intertwined.

"_She thinks you're pregnant, Lois._"

She mentally retraced her last few sentences, trying to discover where she had gone wrong. _Oh._"No, Mrs. Kent, I'm not pregnant."

"What? But you just said…"

"I know what I said. I was talking about Lily. She is coming to live with us."

"The little girl that lost both her parents?" Mrs. Kent asked.

"Yes. Lex apparently left my name with the hospital in case anything went wrong. The poor girl has been crying non stop, asking for me, and the hospital doesn't really have the room to take her anyway. So she asked me if Clark and I would take her, at least for the time being. And I said yes."

"We said yes."

Lois squeezed her husband's hand and smiled. "Yes, _we_ said yes. Both of us want to help this girl out. She has no one and she does not deserve to spend her time in an overcrowded hospital. We have the extra bedroom in our apartment in Metropolis. There is plenty of room."

"I don't know, Lois," her mother-in-law said. "This is still a huge responsibility. You and Clark are only just adjusting to each other. And there are financial issues to consider, too."

"Mom, I know I don't make very much at my current job and that Lois is just starting out her career. But I know we can do this. So many people have been hurt by this disaster. We won't ever replace her parents, but I'd like it if we could at least help her through this as best as we can. We'll find a way to make this work."

"I think it is a great idea," Mr. Kent said. "You are two of the most responsible people I know. I know you will make this work. I would just caution you not to grow too attached to her. This may be temporary. This girl may have other relatives."

"And you should also consider your current responsibilities. Chloe is still going to need the support of both of you in the near future. It is going to take a lot out of you to try and support both of them."

Lois nodded. "This did cross my mind when the hospital called. I am going to be there for Chloe. But Mom, there is just something about this girl. I don't know. My heart is telling me that this is right, that I need to do this. I don't really know why. All I know is we have to do this. My heart went out to her the moment I first met her. I knew I had to make sure she was okay. And when the hospital called…I knew we needed to do this. So when Clark nodded yes, I agreed to take her."

"When does this happen?" Mrs. Kent asked.

"Tomorrow morning."

* * *

Room: check. Bed: check. Food: check. Toys: check. _What is missing?_ Lois paced back and forth in the room she and her mother-in-law had set up in her apartment. Everything needed to be perfect. Lily deserved perfect. She and Clark would not replace the small girl's parents, but she was sure going to try her best to fill in.

Clark. That's what (or rather who) was missing. He was not back yet. Lois absentmindedly began stroking several strands of hair near her forehead and continued her assault on the carpet.

"He'll be here," Mrs. Kent said.

"What?"

"Clark. He will be here in time."

"How did you…?"

"I've known you a long time, Lois. You always stroke your hair when you're thinking about Clark." Lois halted the motion of her hand for a moment and smiled. _I do, don't I?_ "He'll be here soon. And hopefully he will have Chloe with him."

"I hope so too. It is crazy for her to move back to her apartment after what she's been through. She needs me. She shouldn't be alone."

"I know, honey. I know. But she has to deal with this in her own way. We would all like to bear this burden for her, but we can't take her pain away."

"No, but I could help her bear it. I could ease some of her pain. I understand that she needs time. I just wish she would let me help her through it. She shouldn't have to go through this alone. She doesn't need to."

A familiar voice answered her. "No, she doesn't. But it seems she is choosing to." Lois turned to face her husband as he leaned in, planted a quick kiss on her lips, and took her hand in his. "How are you holding up?"

Lois sighed and leaned her head against her husband's chest. "_I'm stressed, worried, and distracted. I didn't even feel you approach._"

"_It's okay, Lois. This is a crazy time for all of us. We've all been through a lot over the last couple of days. Don't worry about it. I love you._"

Lois lifted her head up and looked into his eyes. "_I love you too, Smallville._"

Mrs. Kent cleared her throat and both Lois and her husband turned to look at her. "As much as I love that you two can talk to each other with out words, I am standing right here and feeling a little ignored."

"I'm sorry, Mother. I love you too." He paused as he looked around the newly decorated bedroom. "You both did a great job with the room, by the way. I'm sure Lily will love it."

"Thank you, Son. But don't think this gets you out of this conversation. You are still-" She paused abruptly as a knock was heard on the front door.

"That must be Lily now," Clark said. "Shall we?"

Mrs. Kent nodded. "I'm anxious to meet her." She made her way to the door, and Lois and Clark followed her, still hand in hand.

"_I think we just got out of a lecture, Smallville._"

Clark smiled. "_Yes, I think we just did. I love this girl already._"

* * *

Chloe closed her eyes once more and attempted to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall. Again. _Why does this have to be so hard?_ Everything was a reminder. Taking the steps up to her apartment. Putting her keys into the front door. The hand that Clark had put on her shoulder before he left. The sad and caring eyes he showed her on his way out. The condition of her apartment, exactly the way she had left it when…. Everything was a reminder. Everything made her cry.

She bit back a sob and opened her eyes, once again seeing her reflection in the mirror. The glass was mocking her, incriminating her. "_You weren't strong enough_," it said. "_You let them do this to you. You let them hurt you. You are weak. That is why they took you. They could see it in your eyes, as you can see it now. You are weak. You will always be weak._"

"No!" She punched the bathroom mirror hard with her hand, creating a spider-web pattern in the glass and leaving a small red stain in the center of the impact. A sharp pain shot through her hand and she withdrew it and sighed. She opened the cabinet with her other hand, took out a bottle of peroxide and a roll of gauze, and cleaned and wrapped her hand.

Knock, knock.

The knock on the front door jolted her upright, sending fear through her. The mirror once again began its belittling remarks. "_They are coming for you. You know they are. They will find you, and they will hurt you. You won't be able to stop them. You are weak. You will always be weak. They know you are weak._"

Knock, knock, knock.

Her fear crippled her, sending shivers up her spine and preventing her from moving. The light. She had to get to the light and turn it off. But her fears were paralyzing. _Come on, Chloe. You can do this._

KNOCK, KNOCK!

Chloe rushed to the light switch, flicked it off, locked the bathroom door, and huddled in the corner. "_He is going to find you, you know. He is coming._"

"Chloe! I know you're in there. Come on, open the door."

No. It couldn't be. It just couldn't be. She knew that voice. It was the voice of the man that had nearly raped her. And he was coming back to finish the job.

"Chloe, open the door! I just want to talk."

Talk? Did he think she was crazy? He didn't want to just talk. He wanted to lock her up again, to touch her again. She shivered.

"I'm warning you, Chloe. I'll break this door down if I have to. Now open it up!"

"_Yes, open the door. You know it is inevitable. He will find you. He will touch you. He will hurt you. There is nothing you can do to stop him. You are too weak. There is no point in resisting._"

Chloe closed her eyes and hid her face in her hands, as if the mere action of hiding her face would make it go away. It did. The pounding stopped. The man's voice ceased to echo through the door. Was it over? Was he truly gone?

BAM!

Chloe heard the splintering of wood and the sound of the doorknob impacting with the wall. He was inside. _Oh gawd, no._

Shuffling of feet came from the living room. Light poured through the crack under the door as her bedroom light was turned on. She heard shuffling noises, the sound of the closet being opened, and the screeching of hangers against metal rods. The sound that she heard next was the worst of all: the bathroom doorknob began to rattle.

"I know you are in there, Chloe. Unlock the door."

_Please no._

The rattling of the doorknob, followed by pounding on the door, continued for a few more minutes, before it stopped abruptly. The silence was deafening. "_He's coming for you._"

A large force impacted with the door, breaking the frame and sending the door flying wide open. A pair of eyes looked at her evilly. "Hey there, pretty thing. I'm going to enjoy having my way with you."

_No. Not again._

* * *

Chloe thrashed and squirmed with all her might, attempting to break free from his grasp. He was on top of her. She was flat on the ground. He leaned in to kiss her. She freed one of her hands and slapped him on the face. Anger filled his eyes and he prepared to hit her. She shook violently and jolted up suddenly, and in an instant her surroundings changed. She was in her bedroom, in her bed. Sweat dripped from every inch of her and her body was shaking. She wrapped her arms around herself and attempted to calm herself. It was only a nightmare. Another nightmare. She was safe. She was alone.

"_He will come for you,_" the familiar voice whispered to her. "_No one will save you this time._"


	10. Changes

**Chapter Eight - Changes**

Meaningless. Life was meaningless. His life was meaningless. What meaning did life have if he could not help the one he loved? He wanted to go to her, to hold her, to tell her he would never let anyone hurt her again and that it would be alright. But he could not. He was trapped in his own mind, unable to affect the outside world, unable to comfort the woman he loved. And all because he had doubted her for a split second, a moment in time that would forever haunt him. Chloe would have believed in him. Why hadn't he believed in her? Why had he doubted? Why had he given up on the one he loved?

He would not give up now. With every breath he would fight, thwarting the Entity's plan as best he could, protecting Chloe the only way he knew how. Still, it was strong. With each scream, with each tear, with each evil laugh it grew in power. He heard them all. He heard the gunshot from the woman murdering her husband. He heard the scream of the young woman being raped by her best friend. He heard the sobs of the man that knelt broken at the gravestone of his wife. He heard it all because the Entity heard it all. It took it all in and drew power from the suffering, from the hate, and from the betrayal. It grew stronger with each passing minute, able to influence more people and whisper in more ears. Lex had taken away its greatest weapon, possessing the bodies of those that did or thought what was wrong, but he had not taken away all of its weapons. It still had control of his body and it still could indirectly influence others. Like it was doing to Chloe now.

_Be strong, Chloe._ Not for the first time, Lex wished he was connected to Chloe like Clark was to Lois. None of this would have happened if that were so. And even if it had, he would still be able to comfort her now. He could be whispering words of encouragement and love to counter the ones of despair and hate that the Entity was directing her way. Anything to help her through what had happened to her, what the Entity had done to her.

He should be there. That, more than anything else, echoed over and over in his mind. He should be there for Chloe. He should be beside her, stroking her hair and whispering loving words in her ear. Instead she was alone and terrified. It tore at his heart to see her like this, or feel her like this.

Feel. The proverbial light bulb went off in Lex's head as he realized what he must do. _But is it worth it?_ The question lingered in his mind even as he began to plan the next steps of action. His actions would have to be swift to prevent the Entity from learning of his plan. The element of surprise was the only thing that assured success.

_But is it worth it?_ Was it? Would a few words be enough? Were those words worth losing himself over? Were those words worth losing Chloe for? She could never love the man he would become. He would be closing the door on a relationship with her forever. And all for what? A few words of encouragement?

Chloe's sob echoed in his ear, and he made up his mind. He had to do this. Chloe was so lost. He had to give her hope. He had to give her strength. She was falling, possibly to her death. She needed a hand to catch her and pull her back up, even if that hand would disappear as soon as it had. His life was meaningless if he could not help the one he loved. He loved Chloe with his whole heart, mind, and soul. And he was willing to give it all up for her.

Lex opened his eyes and strode confidently up to the cage that contained a mirror image of himself.

"Hello, Lex," the Entity quipped evilly. "Come to entertain me, have you? The way your little blond girlfriend has been entertaining me for the last couple of hours?"

"You will never hurt her again."

The Entity laughed. "You cannot stop me. You have trapped me here, yes, but I have power that you could not possibly imagine. The end of this epic is certain. The human race is going to lose. You might as well give up now."

Lex broke his eye lock for a split second, glancing at the cage intently and causing it to rise up from the floor.

It laughed again. "I did not think you actually would, but that is a wise decision on your part. The end of you and your pathetic little race is coming soon enough. Welcoming it will be much less painful. You are-"

His double's words were cut off as Lex thrust his hand into its head. A purple glow burst from the spot, emanating in all directions and filling the room with light. Lex felt himself slowly drifting away as his being began to merge, step by step, with the one before him. His mind began to be filled with the thoughts and desires of the Entity as the reverse began to happen to it. Their minds were slowly merging into one, and neither could stop the process. It was too late to turn back now.

Lex's body moved into his double's, and for a moment he was given complete control of its powers. This was the moment he had been waiting for.

Lex focused all his thoughts on Chloe, shutting out all the images that were being bombarded on his mind and all the evil that was slowly creeping its way in. He knew he only had a few seconds. He had to make the most of them.

"_Chloe, you are not alone. Do not give up. Do not give in. You can get through this. You don't have to face this alone. You are loved._"

His focus cracked, and the images and evil flooded in, consuming him. He screamed and it screamed until the scream merged into a single voice. The world began to cloud and darkness took him.

Then, slowly, the world began to come back into view. Lex opened his eyes and looked around. He was in his office, on the floor. And he had control of his body once again. He stood up and smiled. He could feel everything, sense everything. The world was his footstool, and he was standing above it, marveling at its beauty. Destruction. Degradation. Death. All of it was everywhere, feeding him, fueling him. Giving him power beyond his wildest imagination. He could have anything, control anyone. Only one force stood in his way. Kal-El. Clark. Oh, but not for long. The plan was already in motion, the stage already set. Clark would be history, one way or another. It was only a matter of time.

* * *

Clark smiled brightly as he watched his mother and his wife play with his new…he wasn't sure what to call her. Daughter was too strong of a word, at least yet, and foster child seemed to come up far short. Far, far short. Lily was a breath of fresh air. He hadn't seen Lois laugh or enjoy herself this much since their wedding. Her whole being was almost glowing, and contentment and happiness flowed from her. Just seeing her smile made him fall in love with her all over again. Her smile lit up her face and magnified her natural beauty by leaps and bounds. _Gawd, I'm so lucky._

Lois looked up from watching Lily draw in one of Clark's old coloring books to catch his eye, and his heart nearly jumped out of his chest. She touched her heart with her hand, laughed, smirked, and rolled her eyes at him, before returning her attention to the precious little blond on the floor. She had given her crayon to "Teddy" and was having him "color" the page by holding his hand and moving the crayon back and forth across the page. Clark smiled even wider, if that was even possible, and looked at his wife in amazement once again. He could not recall a moment in his life that he felt happier than he was at that very moment.

"So, Mr. Kent, what do you do for a living?"

Clark tore his gaze from his wife and glanced at the social worker that was sitting beside him. He was a dark haired man in his forties, well built, though not as well as Clark, with a touch of gray that added distinction. Clark's smile faded slightly as he began to answer his question. Didn't the man see the scene on the floor before him? Couldn't he see the smile on Lois' face?

"I'm in security, Mr. Fredricks. I work a very flexible schedule at the Metropolis Cultural Museum."

"Interesting. Does security pay well?"

"It pays well enough for a man of my education," Clark said simply.

"Oh? And just what is your educational experience?"

Clark smiled slightly as he sighed inwardly. He knew the man was just doing his job, but Clark was still slightly angry with him for distracting him from his wife.

"I have a high school diploma. Lois has a college degree, though, and is pursuing a career in journalism. She is an amazing writer, and an even more amazing investigative reporter."

"Really? Does she work for one of the local papers?"

Clark smiled, for real this time. The topic of Lois was one he could get into. "She is working freelance for the _Daily Planet_ currently, and she only graduated from college this past spring. She graduated with a four year degree in three years, and with honors. I'm very proud of her."

"Has she submitted anything recently?"

"Yes, actually. Her story about Superman appeared in the papers yesterday. She also submitted an excellent story two weeks ago on the condition of the poor in the slums."

"Superman? Are you-" He was interrupted by a knock on the door, and Clark got up to answer it. That must be his father. According to Lois, he had left earlier to pick up groceries for lunch, and he would likely need some help carrying everything in.

"Hi Dad. Let me…Chloe?" Clark said as he opened the door. His heart caught in his throat as he looked at her. Her eyes were very red, her make-up was smeared terribly, and her face held one of the most lost looks he had ever seen in his life. "What's wrong?"

"I…"

He held out his hand and took hers, ushering her inside. Lois was already up and walking towards the door, and when Chloe saw her she released Clark's hand and rushed into the arms of her cousin.

"There there, baby. I'm here. I'm here."

Clark glanced at the social worker, who had a raised eyebrow, but otherwise no reaction to the scene before him. "Mr. Fredricks, would you mind coming back at a later time?"

"Certainly. Who is…" He glanced at Chloe, who was being escorted by Lois to the bedroom.

"Chloe, Lois' cousin. She's been through a lot over the past couple of days. Now if you will please…"

The man nodded, took one last look at the bedroom door, turned, and left. Clark closed the door behind him and sighed, then looked with concern at the bedroom door. He took two steps towards it, only to pause as he heard the voice of a woman calling for help. His mother, who was holding Lily in her arms, noticed the look in his eyes and asked him, "What is it?"

"A woman is being mugged. I have to go."

"Do you want me to tell Lois?"

"She knows. I'll be back when I can."

She nodded, and began stroking Lily's hair. The girl had begun to cry when Chloe had come in.

"I'm sorry," he added. And then he left.

* * *

Chloe fought to hold back the tears, to contain even some of the anguish that filled her. But the floodgates would not stop, the pain would not go away. _Gawd, what I almost did…_

"Let it out, baby. Let it all out. It's okay. Just let it all out. I'm here."

Chloe continued to cry, sob, and sniffle in her cousin's arms. But she was strangely comforted. The more she cried, the easier her burden became, almost as if Lois was bearing part of it for her. The words that had brought her here echoed in her mind once again. _You don't have to face this alone. You are loved._

Chloe continued to cry for several more minutes, her cousin whispering comforting words and stroking her back lovingly the entire time. Eventually her sobs subsided, and she pulled away slowly to look Lois in the eye.

"Better?"

She nodded.

"Do you want to talk?"

"I…" Her tears threatened her again as she attempted to open up her heart to Lois. _You don't have to face this alone. You are loved._

"Shhhh…you don't have to talk," Lois said as she pulled her close once again.

It took Chloe a few moments to regain her composure. Once she had, she pulled away again and started again.

"I…had a bad dream. He came again. The man that…he came after me…in my appartm…he tried to…I was scared…I almost…I almost…" The tears came again, and once again she retreated into her cousin's arms. After a few moments, she once again continued. "I almost killed myself. I couldn't take it happening again. I couldn't take him…touching me…again. I went out on the balcony and…and I almost…" She paused, and Lois opened her arms, welcoming her, but Chloe put her hand up, indicating that she just needed a minute.

"Lois, I can't go back there. Can I…"

"Yes, you can stay here. Of course you can stay here. I'm so sorry I wasn't there."

"It's not your…I was the one that wanted to go it alone. I was the one…Lois, I was going to jump. I was really going to jump. I heard a voice. I think…I think it was an angel. It told me that I wasn't alone, that I am loved. Lois, I really need to feel loved. Love me please."

Lois gathered her into her arms and stroked her back and hair, crying with her. "I love you, darlin'. I love you, baby. I always have and always will." She continued to hold her, continued to cry with her. For her.

And Chloe felt it. It was true. _I am not alone. I am loved._

* * *

Lois sighed and allowed herself to collapse on the couch. She was exhausted, both mentally and physically. It had been a long day. All the preparations for Lily's arrival, worrying about Chloe moving back into her apartment, finally seeing Lily again and all the emotions that went along with that, having Chloe show up and in the state that she was in, trying to balance caring for Chloe and Lily, and seeing Clark only sporadically as he came and went to fulfill his duties to the city, all of it was overwhelming. Chloe was improving, but still had a long way to go and still couldn't make it through a night without thrashing and screaming. Lily wasn't fairing much better. Lois had been up most of the night, alternating between her bedroom, where Chloe was sleeping, and Lily's bedroom, attempting to comfort them both. She felt like a mother waking up at all hours of the night to comfort her crying child, and she suddenly had the utmost respect for all mothers everywhere. _How do they do it?_

Lois sighed again as she thought about that. She wasn't cut out to be a mother. She couldn't even cook a simple meal properly, as the dinner fiasco could attest to. Mrs. Kent had offered to help, but she had insisted that she wanted to do it herself. She hadn't had the chance to cook for Clark yet, and she wanted the opportunity to do something special for him and Lily. So while her mother-in-law had taken care of Lily, Lois had gone about preparing dinner. Something simple. Spaghetti. Yet she had managed to butcher even that. How was it even possible to burn spaghetti?

And now she was at her wits end. She was tired. No, she was exhausted. She had no strength left. She could barely stand, yet she was too tired to sleep. She needed to talk to someone. Anyone. But the Kent's had left after dinner to return to Smallville, Clark was out helping the citizens of Metropolis for the sixth time that day, and Chloe was in no condition to have a conversation with her.

Not for the first or even fifth time over the past few days, she was hit with how hard it would be to share Clark with the world. He had a responsibility to the world. A destiny. But he also had a responsibility to her. He was her husband, and her husband should be there for her when she needed him. She shook those thoughts from her head as she reminded herself that Clark would always be there for her when she truly needed him. Just not always when she wanted him. Like she wanted him to be there now.

For the third time in only a few minutes, Lois sighed. She wanted Clark to be there to tell her that everything would turn out fine, that it was okay that she had ruined dinner, and that she could continue and get through it because she was the strongest and most amazing woman he had ever met. What he didn't know, or at least always left out, was that she was not the strong woman he believed her to be without him. She could be strong and get through this, but not without him by her side. She was always stronger with him by her side.

Screams brought her from her musings, and she pulled herself from the couch and made her way to her bedroom, rushing to Chloe's side and taking her hand. Chloe's hand jerked away the instant it made contact with Lois', though her screams did subside some. She began to whisper loving words to her cousin, stroking her hair and attempting to soothe her as best as she could. After a few minutes Chloe stopped shaking and slipped back into a deep sleep. Lois leaned down and kissed her on the head, then stood up and made her way back to the couch. She really needed to talk to someone. Anyone. But who could she possibly talk to at three in the morning?

A thought hit her, and she realized that there was someone that she could call no matter what she needed to talk about or how early in the morning it was. She smiled slightly, picked up her cell phone, and hit the speed dial. Four rings later, a very groggy yet familiar voice came from the other line.

"Hello?"

"Hi."

A slight groan. "Lois? Do you know what time it is?"

"Yes. I'm sorry for calling this late. I just…needed to talk to someone."

Another groan. "Hold on," the voice said very slowly and incoherently. Lois heard the sound of shuffling in the background, blankets being pulled away, a loud thump followed by a few choice curses, some more shuffling, and a slightly more awake voice return to the line. "Okay, big sis. I'm back. What's on your mind?"

"I..." She paused for a moment as she attempted to clear her head.

"Lo', what is it?"

"Do you…do you think it was crazy of me to marry Clark?"

* * *

Clark hovered above the roof of his apartment in total shock. He couldn't believe it. It didn't seem possible. Yet the proof was staring him in the face. _How did this happen?_

Clark looked at the article again. On the front page of Sunday evening edition of the _Daily Planet_, in large letters, were printed the words "SUPERMAN: SAVIOR OF METROPOLIS". And, just below them, the words that had caught his attention: "by Brandon Brown". Brandon Brown, not Lois Lane Kent. The bastard had stolen his wife's story. Literally. The article was, down to the last letter, save for several spelling corrections, the story that Lois had submitted to the Planet Sunday afternoon.

Clark's heart fell. This was going to break Lois. No, she wouldn't break. She was too strong for that. But it would hurt her greatly, and it hurt Clark just to think about it. She had enough going on right now without adding anything more to the mix. She didn't need this right now. And he couldn't hide it from her. She was too perceptive. When he came home she would know something was wrong, and she would pry it out of him just like she always did. Then she would cry, and despite the fact that he loved that she was open enough with him to cry in front of him, he hated to see her cry. He hated to see her in pain.

_I have to fix this._ There was no other way. He couldn't go home with this news on his chest. He couldn't bear to see his wife go through any more than she already had. She had enough to deal with, with everything that had happened to Metropolis, to Chloe, to Lily. He knew how stressed out she was. He could feel it. She didn't need something else on her plate. He needed to fix this himself.

Clark flew to the nearest _hotspot_, as he called them, and quickly changed into his clothes. Knowing he would likely need to change out of his Superman disguise and back into himself quickly and anywhere, he had taken the liberty of hiding packages of his signature clothing, a blue button down shirt and dark slacks, at several secluded locations around Metropolis. His _hotspots_.

Once he had changed back into himself, he returned to the street and headed for the _Daily Planet_. He doubted Mr. Brown would be there at this time of night, but he really didn't have any other place to start. Lois was the investigative journalist, not him. He didn't see things the way she did. Today, though, he was going to have to try, as he didn't have any other choice. Lois was depending on him. He had to do this for her. He just had to.

Clark approached the building and scanned the area for any signs of activity. There were only five people in the building, and three were security guards. Clark smiled. Security was something he knew very well. Breaking in was going to be easy. Finding the evidence he needed, now that was another story.

* * *

"What?!" However sleepy Lucy might have been, she was wide awake now. She had to have heard her sister wrong.

"Should I have married Clark?"

Lucy's eyes widened. Her sister really was doubting her marriage. "Lois, what happened?"

"Nothing."

"Something must have happened for you to be thinking these things. Now tell me what is wrong."

"I…Lucy, I don't think I can do this anymore. I'm not good enough. I'm not strong enough."

"Slow down. Start from the beginning. What can't you do anymore? What aren't you good enough at?"

"Being a wife and mother. I'm just no good at it. Clark deserves better."

Lucy paused for a moment. _So this is what this is about._ "Lo', how long have you been married to Clark?"

"Three days," Lois whispered.

"I'm sorry, I can't hear you. How long?"

"Three days," Lois said, slightly louder and with more conviction.

"Three days. No one is going to be the perfect wife in three days. You need to give it time. Like a lot more time."

"But Clark needs me now! Lucy, he's struggling so much right now. He's out there, helping people, and it's hurting him to see them in pain. He's going to come home, and I'm not going to have anything to give him."

"Why? Why wouldn't you be able to help him? Sis, what happened today? Did it not go well with Lily?"

"I don't know. She keeps waking up crying. Same as Chloe. I've tried to help them, but nothing seems to work."

"Chloe's there? You told me yesterday that she was going back to her place."

"She came by earlier and…Luce, she's so lost. I tried to comfort her, but she's still waking up every hour screaming. I don't know what to do."

"No wonder you are so stressed out. Lois, you should have called. I would have come over and helped you."

"But you are busy with school."

"I'm never too busy for you or Chloe. I can afford to take a few days off school. You should have called me."

"I'm sorry. I can't seem to do anything right. I can't even cook spaghetti without ruining it."

Lucy had to laugh at that. "You ruined spaghetti? How did you manage that?"

"Luce, you're not helping."

Her laughter subsided slightly. But only slightly. "Come on, Lo'. You ruined spaghetti. That's right after macaroni and cheese as the simplest meal on the planet."

"Don't you think I know that! How am I ever going to be the wife Clark needs if I can't even cook a simple meal for him?"

Lucy was taken back by her sister's outburst. She had thought that lightening the mood would allow Lois to laugh at herself, but things were apparently worse than she had initially thought. "You really are stressed about this, aren't you?"

"I…I just love Clark so much, Luce. What if I can't handle it? What if I'm not good enough for him? And what if he realizes it? I'm not as strong as I used to be. I could never stand to lose him. He's…he's my everything."

"Lois, you are never going to lose Clark. He married the woman you are, not the woman you will be. He loves you more than life itself. I've seen the way he looks at you. And from what you've told me of your sex life, he'd be crazy to leave you even if he didn't love you."

"Lucy!"

"What? You're amazing. And don't you ever forget it, big sis." Lois laughed in response, and Lucy beamed. "There's the sister I know and love. You know what Mom always said. A dose of laughter a day-"

"- drives the teardrops away," Lois finished.

"That's right. Now you keep that smile up for me. I'll be there in about an hour."

"No, Luce, you don't have to-"

"I know, sis. But I want to. Besides, it's always fun to wake the General up at this time of night. He'll be thrilled to helicopter me across state at three in the morning. I just know it." Lois laughed again, and Lucy smiled. "You hang in there for me, okay? And remember, Clark loved you before he had experienced Lois Lane in all her glory. There's no way he'll ever let you go now. Us Lanes know how to handle our men."

"Oh we do, do we?"

"Of course. We're irresistible. Just wait till you find out what I have planned for the hunk of a man I have my eye on. He won't know what hit him. I'll have that ball and chain around his ankles before he can blink."

"I bet."

"Love you, Lo'."

"I love you too, Lucy."

"See you soon."

"You too. Bye."

Lucy hung up the phone and sighed contently. She really was going to enjoy waking up the General at this time of night. Especially since she knew she was going to win the argument that would inevitably follow. She had the trump card, and it had her sister's name on it.

She pulled herself from the couch and returned to her bedroom to get dressed. Finished, she looked longingly at the picture on her nightstand one last time, kissed her fingers and placed it on the man's gorgeous face, and sighed. Looking at herself in the mirror, she smiled. "You really aren't going to know what hit you, B." Satisfied with her appearance, she headed to the General's room to wake the sleeping monster. Oh, this was going to be fun.

* * *

"What the hell are you doing in my room, Lane?!"

Lois laughed at her sister's antics. She was waving her finger in the air, imitating their father's reaction to Lucy's sudden arrival in his room. "That sounds like Daddy," Lois said.

"Yeah, it really does," Lucy said with a laugh of her own. "And then he got up and started spewing out orders like he usually does. Things like, 'You should be in bed right now, young lady,' 'Don't you talk back to me,' and 'Lucy Ellen Lane, you go back to bed this instant!' It was hilarious."

"Sounds like."

"He didn't even stop yelling long enough to let me get a word in. I think he might have awoken the entire base. When he finally stopped shouting long enough to process what I had been trying to say, he paused and said, 'Did you say something about little Lo'?' And now I'm here, so you know the rest."

Lois shook her head. "I still can't believe how much different he is now, Luce. You've really worked a number on him."

Lucy smirked in disbelief. "Me? You're kidding, right? Lois, it's all you. He doesn't stop talking about how proud he is of you."

"Really?"

"Of course, Lo'. He adores you. And for good reason. Look at you. You're beautiful, like me." This earned her a smile from Lois. "You've finished college in record time. You are settling in to a promising career. And you've married a great man that loves you more than life itself. Not to mention all the maturity the two of you showed leading up to your marriage. I mean come on Lo', waiting six months for sex that great? There's no way I would have been able to wait that long. I would have jumped him."

"Am I going to regret talking to you about my sex life, Lucy?"

"Of course you are. But you're going to continue to tell me anyway."

Lois raised her eyebrows at her sister's comment. "Really?" she asked with a challenging tone.

"Of course. I'm your sister. You tell me everything."

"I might make an exception in this case. You know, for the sake of my sanity."

"Oh no you don't! This is a sister thing. You. Must. Share. Period."

"Why?" Lois asked with a smirk.

"Because!"

"Because what?"

"Because I live precariously through your sex life! Seeing as how I don't have one of my own. You so can't hold out on me. That would just be…evil."

"Hhmmm…well, I'm in an evil mood. So…sorry."

"Lois!"

"Yes?"

Lucy growled.

"Are you growling at me?"

"Are you being a naughty sister and keeping things from me?"

Lois smiled brightly, and then stood up and kissed Lucy on the head. "I'm tired. I think I'm going to go to bed."

Lucy only growled in response.

Lois laughed. "Goodnight, Luce," she said as she went to her bedroom and closed the door behind her.

Lucy fumed for a few more seconds before smiling widely and lying down on the couch. _A job well done, Lane. A job well done._ She closed her eyes and let herself drift to sleep.


	11. Caught

**Chapter Nine - Caught**

_Lois is going to kill me._

The thought repeated itself over and over in Clark's mind. His intentions had been honorable, but as the saying goes, the road to hell was paved with good intentions. Or in this case, the road to jail.

Clark sighed and stood up, then began to pace the small confines of his cell. _This shouldn't have happened_, he told himself. But it had. Somehow. He was still a bit fuzzy on the details. Getting caught breaking into the _Daily Planet_ really shouldn't have been in the realm of possibilities. At least not for him. Yet here he was, pacing a cell in the city jail.

"Sir?"

Clark paused for a moment to look at the police officer standing outside of his cell. He was a large fellow, a good six four and easily three hundred pounds, and he had dark brown hair combed neatly to one side. But these were unimportant details. What was important was the object he held in his hand: a cordless phone. It was about time. He had already waited four hours for his government mandated phone call.

"You get one phone call," the officer said as he handed Clark the phone. Clark nodded and dialed his wife's cell phone number. Three rings later, a voice came through from the other line.

"Hi!" a small voice exclaimed brightly.

"Lily. Hi. Can you give the phone to Lois?"

"Who you?"

"This is Clark. Remember me? Clark? Can you give the phone to Lois?"

"Lo'," she said with a giggle.

"Yes, Lo'. Can you give the phone to Lo'?"

"I like Lo'. She's nice."

"I like Lo' too, Lily. Can you give Lo' the phone? Lo' wants to talk to me."

"Lo' talk?"

"Yes! Lo' wants to talk. Can you let her talk?"

"I talk to Lo'. Bye bye." And the line went dead.

Clark sighed and let the phone down from his ear to dial the number again, but had it snatched from his hands.

"Sorry, you only get one phone call."

"Wait! I didn't get a chance to talk to my wife."

"That's your problem. Rules are rules." And with that, the officer turned and walked away.

Clark groaned and slid down the wall of his cell. "This is so not my day."

* * *

The faint glow of the early morning sun woke Chloe from her sleep, and the warmth and light it gave was a welcome distraction from the images that still lingered at the edge of her mind. She opened her eyes and looked around the room for a few moments, her mind still not working well enough to process her location. Panic filled her for a moment as a set of memories flashed through her mind, and she looked down to check the condition of her clothing. Still there.

Chloe swallowed loudly and gripped the warm sheets tightly as she attempted to calm the frantic beating of her heart. _I am safe. I am loved._ She closed her eyes for a moment, but quickly opened them when the darkness invited several images to the forefront of her mind. Shaking the memories from her thoughts, she forced herself to sit up and slide her feet off the bed.

A pleasant fragrance assaulted her nostrils, and all her thoughts shifted to the scent. Coffee. Her addiction halted any further hesitation on her part, and she slid out of bed and made her way to the door. She knew she likely looked like a zombie bent on finding its fill of gray matter, but at the moment she did not care. Coffee. Must…have…

Chloe smiled slightly at her own joke. She opened the bedroom door and stepped out into the well lit living room, causing her to squint as her eyes adjusted to the brightness.

"Morning, sleepy head."

Chloe groggily looked up towards the sound of the familiar yet seemingly out of place voice that had interrupted her zombie like trance. Before her mind could completely process the presence of the voice, a warm mug was placed in her hands and she unconsciously lifted it to her mouth and took a deep sip. Ah. Coffee…

"You know, you could pass for a zombie right about now."

Chloe looked up from her mug in surprise. "Lucy?"

"Hi Chlo'," Lucy said with a smile. "Glad to see you're finally in the land of the living." She winked quickly, then turned around and headed back to the kitchen. Chloe's eyes followed her progress, stopping when they came to rest at the table.

Chloe's mouth dropped and eyes widened at the sight before her. The table was covered, from end to end, with food. Scrambled eggs, fried eggs, egg omelets, ham, sausage, sausage gravy, bacon, biscuits, toast, toast and jam, French toast, pancakes, waffles…. The list was endless. Seemingly every breakfast food imaginable was spread across the table, and each in quantities that far exceeded what even Clark could eat. Or Clark _and_ Lex. Or perhaps even Clark and Lex and Lois and Lucy and herself.

"What the hell?"

"Good morning to you too, Chloe," Lucy said with a smile.

"I'm sorry, Lucy. I just…what did you do?"

"You mean what did we do, right?" Lois said as she entered the kitchen from the bathroom and pulled and apron over her head, tying it in the back.

The shock of seeing Lois in an apron further disoriented the sleepy soul, and she just looked at the two of them blankly.

"Are you okay?" Lois asked with a concerned voice. She took several steps towards Chloe and put a hand on her shoulder. "Chloe?"

Chloe forced her mind to refocus itself and attempted to process what her cousin had said. It didn't happen.

"What?"

"Are you okay?"

"Oh. Yeah. I'm fine. Just…wow. This is a bit much, don't you think?"

"Yeah, the food. Lucy's teaching me how to cook breakfast. Do you want to try something?"

Chloe just looked at her like she was crazy. When Lois continued to stare questioningly at her, she turned her gaze to Lucy, who nodded supportingly.

"She's actually doing pretty well. Most of the food is safe to eat."

Lois frowned at her sister, then picked a roll off the table and threw it at her. Lucy only rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue, to which Lois responded in kind.

"That didn't hurt."

"Which proves that my cooking skills have improved, dear sister," Lois said sarcastically, before turning her attention back to Chloe. "Now come on, Chloe. You have to try something."

Lucy nodded. "Yes, you really must. There's enough food here to feed an army. Even if only half of it is edible."

Lois glared a warning her sister's way, rolled her eyes, and turned back to Chloe with a smile. "She's only joking. I've thrown the non edible trials out already. Now go on. You must eat."

Chloe gulped, knowing she wasn't going to talk her way out of tasting possibly hazardous food. The look in Lois' eyes prevented any discussion. This was important to her. Swallowing her reservations, she scanned the table for any entree that posed the least risk to her health. This was going to be interesting.

* * *

"So what are you in here for?"

Clark dropped the hands that had been rubbing his brow and turned his head to the cell across from him, towards the sound of the slightly raspy voice that had questioned him. _I must be more out of it than I thought_, he thought. He was normally more aware of his surroundings than this, yet somehow he had not noticed that he had company until that very moment.

The man across from him was well built, tall, and well tattooed. He was leaning against the wall at the edge of his cell, his arms crossed in front of him and a crooked grin on his face. The top part of his head was hidden by the shadow of the cell, but Clark's vision was able to make out a distinct scar above his forehead, as well as several recent cuts on the rest of his face. There was something oddly familiar about the man, though he couldn't quite place it.

"Well?"

"Huh?"

"You're really out of it, aren't you?"

Clark stood up to get a better look at him and shrugged in response.

"I asked you how you ended up here," he said, turning to face Clark and resting his head on the cell bars.

"Oh. I got caught breaking in to the _Daily Planet_," Clark replied, regretting it as soon as he had spoken.

"Really? Breaking and entering? You could get a felony charge for that. That's a year or more in prison for a first offence. Tough luck."

Clark's eyes widened considerably. Felony? A year of prison? He closed his eyes as the reality of the situation hit him head on. This was not good. He had just started out his life with Lois. Chloe was still recovering from what had happened to her. Lily was dealing with grief of her own. Metropolis was still recovering from the bombing. His family needed him. The world needed him. Yet here he was, in prison, cut off from the ones he loved. Possibly for a long time. He could not escape, for that would only put his family in even greater danger. He was helpless.

"You know, I could probably get you off with just a misdemeanor. You'd get one hundred hours of community service tops. Perhaps even get off completely. I know a guy that is really good at these types of things. I could send him your way if you would agree to help me out a bit."

Clark eyed the man suspiciously. "And just what would this 'help' be?"

"Nothing illegal, if that's what you're thinking. All I need you to do is find out someone's name. An officer should be coming to talk to you soon. He handles questioning everyone that comes in here. All I need you to do is ask him about me. There was a girl with me when I got arrested. I need you to coax her name out of him. That's all."

He paused for a moment, then looked Clark squarely in the eye. "So what do you say? Will you help me?"

Clark considered the offer for a moment, looking the man over again in an attempt to read him. His expression was blank, his eyes hopeful, with a touch of something else just behind the surface. Something unmistakably familiar. _Who is he?_

Recognition hit him, and Clark's eyes filled with anger. The scar. The cuts. The hint of evil behind his eyes. The mention of a woman with him at his arrest. It all made sense. And the truth was infuriating. _How dare he!_

Clark's fists clenched as he looked into the eyes of the man that had done _that_ to Chloe. He didn't deserve to live. He deserved to suffer. He deserved to die, and painfully. No one touched Chloe like that. No one.

Clark felt a sense of evil fill him, and for a moment he struggled to contain himself. It would be so easy to bring about justice on his own. The cells separating them would be wax in his hands; the protests of the guards would be useless. No one would stop him. No one could stop him. It would be so easy.

"_Do it_," a voice inside him said, edging him forward. "_Chloe deserves justice. He violated her. He hurt her. She needs to be vindicated. He needs to be punished._ _You are the only one that can assure that he is._"

There was truth in that. If the man knew someone that could get Clark off, then surely he could get himself off as well. Even if the charges against him were murder and attempted rape. The American court system was far from perfect. But did that give him the right to take justice into his own hands? It was one thing to use his abilities to help and to serve. It was quite another to use them to inflict pain or to kill. Furthermore, it was wrong.

"_No, it isn't. What he did to Chloe was wrong. Allowing him to walk away from that would be wrong. Allowing him to walk free to hurt her again would be wrong. He wants to hurt her again. Why else would he ask for her name? You have to stop him. You have to protect Chloe._"

Evil continued to wash over him, clouding his thoughts and fueling his anger. He could not let anyone hurt her again. She was a mess as it was; she would not be able to handle anything further. And, what's more, she deserved more. She deserved to be safe, not some psycho's plaything. He had to protect her. He had to stop him. Permanently. "_There is no other way. He has to die._"

* * *

Lucy took another look at her sister and sighed. The day had seemed like such a success in the beginning. Her sister's mood was up, her eyes were bright, and she was smiling. She was making strides towards overcoming an insecurity that Lucy knew she had struggled with for a long time. Yet now the familiar haze had once again descended upon her sister's spirit, and the smile that had so brightened her face while they were cooking was now gone. Her sister's demeanor had changed quickly and seemingly for no reason, and Lucy wasn't about to let that happen without a fight.

Lois stood slightly hunched over the dinner table, watching Chloe and Lily have their fill of breakfast foods. Her left hand rested on the chair in front of her, and her right hand was in her hair, stroking a group of stray strands near her forehead. Lucy made her way from the entrance of the kitchen to her sister and hugged her from behind, standing on the tips of her toes for a moment so she could plant a kiss on her sister's cheek.

"I love you, sis," she whispered into Lois' ear as she rested her head on her shoulder.

Lois smiled slightly and took Lucy's hand in hers. "I know. I love you too."

Lucy released her hold on her sister, keeping their hands enclosed as she made her way to the living room. "Come on, I want to talk to you."

Lois rolled her eyes, but followed Lucy to the living room and sat down on the couch with her. Several moments of silence followed.

"Okay, now I know something's wrong. You are never this quiet. You're the antonym of quiet. Spill."

"It's nothing."

"Lois, you know I know you better than that."

"I'm worried about Clark, okay?" Lois exclaimed.

"Hey! It's me. You don't have to be like that."

Lois shook her head, then looked up at Lucy apologetically. "I'm sorry, Luce. You didn't deserve that. I didn't mean to snap at you."

"You're forgiven. Now about Clark. What are you worried about?"

Lois sighed. "I don't know. He didn't call me when he got to work. I haven't seen him or talked to him since last night. He is really frustrated right now, and I am worried about him. Why wouldn't he call? He always calls. It doesn't make sense that he wouldn't call. Especially if he's so frustrated. Does that make any sense to you?"

"Lois, just call him at work. Sitting here worrying about it isn't going to get you anywhere."

"I can't call him. His work doesn't allow phone calls while he's on duty."

"Really? Why not?"

"I don't know. Something about keeping their workers focused on the job, I guess. I can call, but only to leave a message and they won't give him the message until he's off duty. Though I don't know if they would even give him my message. 'I'm worried about him?' That's kind of stupid."

"No, Lois, it is not stupid to worry about your husband. It only means you love him, and there is nothing wrong with that, no matter what anyone says."

"I know. It's…I just…" She paused for a moment, as she struggled to find the right words to say. "I never thought it would be this hard, Lucy. I love Clark with my whole heart. Every moment I spend with him is the best moment of my life. He is such an amazing man, and I feel so honored to call him my husband. It is just hard to be apart from him, especially when he is dealing with something. I want to encourage him. I want to hold him. I want to talk to him and bear it with him, whatever 'it' is. What if he wasn't able to save someone? What if he arrived too late? It hurts to feel him so defeated. He needs me, and I can't help him. I've been trying all morning to soothe him with my feelings. It isn't working. He's not getting through this. Lucy, what do I do?"

"Have you tried talking to him? Using your bracelet, I mean?"

Lois' eyes filled with tears, and her answer was delayed for several moments as she tried to compose herself. "I…I can't…I think I…I lost it. I…" The tears began to flow, and Lucy pulled her sister into an embrace, finally understanding the true cause of her change in mood.

"I'm so sorry, sis. I'm so sorry," she said as she stroked her back. Lois cried into her shoulder, and Lucy continued to hold her and did her best to comfort her. It was all she could do.

The two of them sat there, on the couch, in each others' arms, for an amount of time that neither was able to measure. Lois' tears slowly subsided until they ceased completely, and after a few more moments of an embrace, Lois pulled away.

Lucy took her hand and squeezed it. "He'll come home to you, big sis. You aren't going to lose him."

Lois smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Luce. Thank you so much."

"Hey, what are sisters for?" she said with a smile of her own. "Now why don't we go recruit Chloe and Lily to help us look for your bracelet? Does that sound like a plan?"

Lois nodded, and Lucy took her in for one last hug.

The sound of screaming from the kitchen startled them out of the hug prematurely, and both of them got up quickly and rushed to Lily and Chloe, only to pause at the door in surprise. Lily and Chloe stood at opposite ends of the table, each with food in their hands and splattered all over their bodies, imitating the state of the kitchen.

Lucy cleared her throat, and the two blonds paused their attacks on each other and turned around guiltily.

In unison, the two girls pointed at each other and explained, "She started it!"

* * *

Rage filled Clark, consuming his thoughts and moving him to action. He stepped up to the sliding door of his cell, took a hold of it by its frame, and ripped the whole thing off. He then used his hands to compress the bars together, forming it into a very large and formable weapon. Finished, he turned to the man in the cell across from him, who was still smiling wickedly.

A purple hue flashed in the man's eyes, and his expression changed from one of contempt to one of pure terror. He backed up against the wall, placing as much distance from himself and Clark as possible.

"No! Please, don't do this! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" His whole body began to shake, and he futilely attempted to scoot himself closer to the wall.

Clark swung his makeshift club down against the bars of the cell, crushing it and tearing it from the ceiling. He continued to swing it down on the cell, over and over, until it was completely detached from the walls and lie in a heap on the floor. Finished with the cell, he turned his attention to the man that was still cowering and pleading for his life on the floor. Clark lifted the club over his head, and the man shielded his head with his arm, preparing himself for what was to come.

* * *

Lois Lane was an expert at assigning punishments fitting of the crime, this Chloe knew from first hand experience. Her exactings of justice were never harsher than deserved, yet never too soft to encourage a second attempt. Chloe had been on the receiving end of Lois' "justice" far more times than she could count; she generally knew what to expect from her. That is, until today. Today Lois had given Chloe reason to wonder if the addition of _Kent_ to the end of her name had somehow weakened her judgment. Or her sanity.

A wave of warm water hit her squarely in the face, and Chloe smiled at the object of her punishment. Splashing water from the bathtub back at Lily in retaliation, she confirmed her suspicion: married life had significantly affected her cousin's mind. This was not punishment, and it in no way influenced her to not participate in a food fight in the future. Lois was loosing her edge.

Lily laughed heartily and splashed another wave of warm water back at Chloe, and the war from earlier resumed with full force. Each girl returned splash for splash, giving out as good as she got, until the entire bathroom was covered in as much water as they were. When the water on the floor caused Chloe to slip and fall, she conceded defeat, and Lily climbed out of the bathtub in victory, slipping herself and landing on top of her, bringing both girls into a fit of laughter.

Once she was back on her feet, Chloe started the process of cleaning up the mess they had made. She spread the now mostly wet towels across the floor in order to give them traction, and then pulled several dry towels out of the cabinet to dry off Lily and the rest of the room. Once Lily was dry and wrapped in a towel, Chloe took off her soaked shirt and pants and proceeded to dry herself off. She paused for a moment when she noticed that Lily was being unusually quiet.

"Lily?"

Lily stood completely still, her eyes wide and locked on Chloe, her mouth hanging open slightly. Tears filled her eyes suddenly, and Chloe knelt down and opened her arms to her, still unsure as to the cause of Lily's sudden change in demeanor, but ready to comfort her whatever the cause be.

Lily ran into Chloe's open arms and embraced her tightly, holding on to her like her life depended on it. Ever so softly, she whispered, "Don't leave me."

Chloe held her and let her cry, trying her best to comfort her, yet not understanding the reason behind her tears.

"I won't leave you, Lily. I won't leave you. I'm here. It's okay. I'm here."

Lily cried in her arms for several more minutes, and Chloe continued to stroke her hair and whisper words of encouragement in her ear. Her sobs subsided until only the occasional sniffle was heard, and still she clung to Chloe.

Chloe sighed softly and kissed Lily on the cheek. "I love you, Lily. I'm here. I won't leave you. I promise." And in that moment, she knew she would keep her promise. The small girl in her arms had made her way into her heart, and she knew without a shadow of a doubt that no matter what happened in the future, she would be there for her. Always.

* * *

Clint groaned**,** yawned, and rubbed his eyes slowly, shifting in his chair and attempting to force some sense of reality back into his senses. When that failed to work, he rolled out of the chair and on to the floor, then picked himself up and made his way to the breakfast table. He poured himself a cup of coffee and took a bagel from the rack, then slumped himself back into his chair and took a deep sip from his mug. It took several minutes for the black liquid to work its way into his system, but soon his eyes fluttered open and the world once again took shape and form. He glanced at the clock to his left, shook his head, and sighed. It was ten-twenty. His shift started in ten minutes.

With renewed vigor Clint began devouring his bagel, finishing it in a matter of minutes and then wiping the crumbs from his mouth. Finishing the rest of his coffee, he stood up and made his way to the bathroom. He went about his business, washed his hands and his face, and then began to attempt to smooth the bed hair from his head. After messing with it for several minutes, he gave up and left the bathroom, spotting Billy at the breakfast table on his way into the break room.

"Mornin' Billy," he said casually as he sat back down in his chair.

"Good morning, Clint. Sleep well?"

"Sure did, or my name isn't-"

"Yes, Clint," Billy interrupted, "I know."

Clint only shrugged in reply, still a little unsure as to why no one liked his favorite expression. No matter. It was early in the morning and Billy had had a long night. He was likely just in a poor mood.

Changing the subject, Clint turned his attention to the things he would need to know in order to take over Billy's shift. "So how are the prisoners doing?"

Billy took the question for what it was, and began to divulge pertinent information about each of the prisoners; who to watch for, complaints that had been made, who the new additions were, and other information Clint would need to know.

Clint nodded in reply. "Anything else?"

"No, that's pretty much it," he said, handing Clint the keys. "It's all yours, buddy."

"Thanks Billy."

"It's Bill, Clint. Bill. Not Billy. Get it right, or don't say anything at all."

Clint backed up slightly, then shook his head. "Someone is in a bad mood this morning. Bill."

Bill sighed and shook his head, then made his way to the exit. As an afterthought, he paused at the door. "Clint?"

"Yeah Bill?"

"The charts say the guy in cell seven has had his one phone call already. Go ahead and give him another one."

"Gotcha, Bill," Clint said with a smile. "You take care now."

"You too, Clint. You too." With a short smile and a nod in Clint's direction, Bill turned and left.

Clint smiled once more, and then made his way to the prisoner record chart. He scanned the page until he found entry seven. "So Mr. Kent, looks like you were on the bad end of one of Billy's moods," he murmured to himself. "Well, how about we fix that." He reached for the cordless phone, only to pause when he heard a loud crash come from cell room, followed by several more loud noises.

Clint hurried to the door, unlocked it, and swung the door open, readying himself for anything.

He was unprepared for the sight that greeted him.

Two cells had been completely destroyed, the remnants of which were scattered everywhere. Inside the cell on the left were two individuals. One sat cowering in the corner; the other held some sort of weapon and was threatening to use it.

"Hey! Stop right there!" Clint said as he drew his gun.

The second man paused in mid swing and turned to look at Clint, giving him a good look at his face. Clint's eyes widened and filled with fear, and he took a step back. This was no man. This was a…monster, a phantom.

The phantom stepped out of the cell, giving Clint a clear look at it. He shivered. It had the form of a man, but it truly was not a man. Its eyes were completely black, devoid of life. Its hand held a large array of metal and steel that looked to be far heavier than any mortal man could ever possibly attempt to lift. But most disturbing of all was its skin, which was an every changing swirl of blacks and purples. Electricity seemed to flow through its veins, further adding to its menacing appearance. The phantom radiated power and evil, and Clint could feel his body hairs stand on end, sending a chill throughout his entire body.

Clint took several more steps back, until his back was flush against the wall. He held his gun out in front of him as if his life depended on it, and indeed, he believed it did.

"Stay…stay there. I'll shoot."

The phantom turned to the man in the cell, back to Clint, and back to the man.

"I'm…I'm warning you. I'll shoot."

The phantom turned his unholy gaze back to Clint, and then looked up at the ceiling. In a wave of motion, it took off to the sky, shooting straight through the roof of the building. Clint jumped in a sudden wave of fear and tripped over. As he hit the ground, his gun went off and his head slammed against the floor, sending him into unconsciousness. The last thing that registered to him before he lost thought completely was the bullet hole in the head of the man remaining in the cell.


	12. Quietus

**Chapter Ten - Quietus**

_Clark swung his makeshift club down against the bars of the cell, crushing it and tearing it from the ceiling. He continued to swing it down on the cell, over and over, until it was completely detached from the walls and lie in a heap on the floor. Finished with the cell, he turned his attention to the man that was still cowering and pleading for his life on the floor. Clark lifted the club over his head, and the man shielded his head with his arm, preparing himself for what was to come._

Clark swung the club down hard on the man that had hurt and violated Chloe. He deserved to die. And now he would.

It has been said that just before death, your life flashes before your eyes. Clark was not on the verge of losing his life, but he was on the verge of taking one. And in that moment of moments, his life did flash before his eyes. It was like a blur, the images passing by faster than he could comprehend them. Several moments, however, slowed to a crawl, imprinting them firmly into his mind.

-

"_Put him inside, Lara. Our time has passed. The hourglass is empty._"

"_What if they don't love him?_"

"_Lara, his destiny is set. As is ours._"

-

"_You won't find your answers by looking to the stars. It's a journey you'll have to take by looking inside yourself. You must write your destiny, Kal-El._"

-

"_Who do you think I'll become?_"

"_I don't know. You can be the world's greatest hero or its most mild-mannered citizen, but the only person who can write your story... is you._"

-

"_I have a blanket in the trunk. Don't move. I'll be right back._"

"_Wait. Who are you?_"

"_Lois. Lois Lane._"

-

"_You are destined for great things, Clark. I believe this with all of my heart. You have the potential to touch so many lives, to save so many people. But you're not going to be able to keep at it alone. Your family made you the person you are today. And your family is going to keep you that way. There will be times in the future where you are going to want to give up and give in. I've seen the sadness in you when you have tried to save someone, but arrived too late. It tears at your heart. I don't want to see your heart become shattered, Clark. You are going to need us to be there for you. But we won't be able to if we don't know what is going on. We won't be able to protect you and we won't be able to protect ourselves._"

-

"_Smallville, listen to me. I love you. Deeply. I love you more than I have ever loved anyone in my entire life. You are my everything. You give me strength, you're the most thoughtful and caring person I know, and your heart for people is bigger than anyone's. You are the greatest man I have ever known._"

-

"_Kal-El, your destiny is great indeed. This world is in desperate need of hope, and you have the heart to inspire that hope in them. There are forces unknown to you now that do not want to see you succeed. They will stop at nothing to see that hope destroyed. That is why it is so important that you continue your training now, while there is still time to prepare. The future is certain if you do not continue your training, and it is a future very close to the future that was in store for Krypton. A great many lives hang in the balance, and only you hold the key to keeping the balance in favor of Earth._"

"_This is too much. How will I know what to do, when the time comes?_"

"_Follow your heart, my young Kal-El. Cleave to it, and keep it pure. Your heart for people is your greatest strength. Do not ever lose it. Do not ever stop loving this world. Do not ever stop believing in people. Do not ever give up hope. Do these things, and the rest will take care of itself._"

-

"_Yes, I will marry you, Clark Jerome Kent._"

-

The images ended, and a single person came to his mind. _Lois._ With all the force he could muster, he stopped the club from arriving at its destination, pausing only inches from the man's head.

"Hey, stop right there!"

Clark's gaze shifted to the guard that had just entered the room. "_Kill him. He'll try to stop you. It's the only way._"

Clark stepped out of the cell and took a step towards the guard. "_That's it. Now kill him._"

"Stay…stay there. I'll shoot."

"_Kill him. Then kill the rapist. It's the only way._"

"I'm…I'm warning you. I'll shoot."

"_Kill him._"

_Lois._

Clark turned his gaze to the ceiling, closed his eyes, and leapt into the air, crashing through the roof of the building and into the wide open skies.

"_No! Go back! He'll get out and hurt Chloe. You have to stop him._"

A gunshot rang out, and Clark paused to look back at the jail. Peering through the roof he saw the rapist lying limp on the floor, a bullet hole in his head.

"_The guard knows. He's seen you. Lois is in danger. She will never be safe. Go back. You have to stop him._"

On he flew, putting as much distance between him and the jail as he could. He had to get away. He had to go somewhere…safe. A familiar rhythm found its way to the forefront of his thoughts, and he found himself drifting towards it.

"_Look what you've done. What will Lois think? It will hurt her to find out what you have done. You can't go to her. You can't tell her what happened. It will crush her._"

_Lois!_ Clark closed his eyes and allowed a tear to escape. He couldn't go back to her. Not with what he had done. Not with what he would have to tell her. He could not bear to hurt her. Not now, and not ever.

The tears fell freely, clouding his vision as the wind picked them up and pulled them back into his face. The wind that was slowly taking him away from the only woman he had ever loved with his whole heart. _Goodbye, Lois._

A familiar strength, one that had guided him and calmed him every hour and every minute of the last three and a half years, slowly began to fade away. A moment later, and it was gone.

The thoughts of evil once again came down on him with full force, only this time his strength was not enough to battle the onslaught. It was missing a key part of its ability to fight, a part that he had let go of willingly.

Unable to cope with the strength of the attack, yet unable to move himself to follow the treacherous thoughts, Clark's mind shut down, and for the second time that week, Clark fell out of the sky and landed soundly on the ground below.

* * *

Nothing was working. Lucy had tried every trick in the book, used every possible tactic she could think of, yet nothing was calming her sister down. Lois was having a panic attack, and there was nothing she could do to help her.

"He's gone. Oh gawd, he's gone! No, it can't be. Gawd, Clark, don't leave me! Please don't leave me. Please come back. Clark…Clark. Oh gawd, Clark, no…no…no… You can't be gone. You can't…" The tears streamed down her face unhindered, as her hands pulled at her hair and her knees sank to the ground in utter despair.

Lucy had never seen her sister this defeated. Never. Not once. This type of thing didn't happen. Not to Lois. Lois was the strong one. Lois was the one that always knew what to do, always knew what to say. Lois could handle anything.

"No…Clark…Smallville…please…come back to me. Come back. Clark…Clark…Clark…" Her sister curled up helplessly on the floor, whispering her husband's name over and over and over. And there she lay, shaking, sobbing, and crying for her husband.

Lucy's own tears clouded her vision as she struggled to make her way to the phone, to the only lifeline she had left. She dialed the number once, twice, and three times, and on the third attempt she managed to dial the correct number.

"Hello?"

Lucy choked on a sob, drowning out her attempt at words.

"Lucy?"

"Lois…she's…Clark's…Daddy, we're losing her. You've got to come quick."

The line went dead, and Lucy slid to the floor. Forcing herself on her hand and knees, she crawled her way to her sister and laid on top of her. "Come on, sis. Please talk to me. Please…" She kissed Lois on the back of the neck and stroked her back and hair. "I don't want to lose you too."

* * *

Lex smiled widely in victory. The hardest step in his plan was over. Clark's connection to Lois had been severed, and by an act of his own free will. He never thought it would be so easy. Clark's own love had been the force that had driven them apart. Love. Just the mere thought of the word brought pain to his chest. It went against everything he stood for, everything he fed off of. Pain, suffering, those were his mediums. Love was a force in the universe that should not exist. It needed to be squelched and burned; only then was it worthwhile.

As he made his way to his destination, Lex continued the mental battle going on in his head. He needed Clark to be unconscious if the next stage of his plane were to succeed, and the only way to make sure he stayed that way was for him to continue his assault on Clark's mind.

A partially distracted Lex Luthor knocked on the door to the apartment that he had secured for Lois and Clark. They, of course, had no knowledge of his intervention on their behalf, as that is the way his weaker self used to operate. Lex shook his head and sighed. _I was such a goodie two shoes back then. I was so weak._ But no longer. No, now he was powerful. Strong. In control. He held the destiny of the world in his hands. This world was doomed, and he got to decide when he would doom it. Or at least he would once he removed the only obstacle that stood in his way.

His knock at the door was answered by a very red eyed Lucy, which surprised him. He hadn't even known she was staying with Lois. _I really should keep better track of what is going on in this house._

"Lex? Did Chloe call?"

"Chloe? No, I haven't heard from her in a few days. I came by to talk to Clark. Why, what's wrong?"

"Clark…Lois thinks Clark is dead."

"What? How?"

"We don't know. Lois had been getting more and more worried all morning, saying that Clark was struggling with something big and then freaking out about loosing her bracelet. She called the Cultural Museum earlier, but they said Clark never showed up for work this morning. And then about an hour ago she just snapped and fell apart. I've been trying to do what I can to help her through this, but what can you do? She thinks she lost her husband."

Lex could feel the inward struggle in Lucy to contain her composure. Suffering was rolling off her in waves, diminished only by her love for her sister. In fact, the entire house radiated suffering and loss. Lucy, Lois, Lily, and…who?

"Who's here?" Lex asked as he stepped inside the apartment, closing the door behind him.

"What?"

Lex glanced around the room quickly in an attempt to find a reason to justify his insight. He suppressed a smile when he spotted a pair of large boots resting near the door.

"The boots at the door. They're not Clark's."

"Daddy's here. He's with Lois now."

"Oh," he stated simply, turning and sitting down on the sofa. The presence of a three-star General in the house was not going to help his plans at all. Especially when he was with Lois. Lex needed more men, but he couldn't keep Clark at bay and reach out and possess any nearby resources at the same time, not without devoting himself fully to it. Clark's heart was too pure and his connection to good too strong, and it required most of Lex's energy to keep him at bay. He needed to leave; he needed to find a place where his body would be safe while he turned all of his power to the spiritual plane. He could not do that here.

Lex stood up to leave. "I'm going to try and find Clark, Lucy. I have contacts all over the city. I'll find him."

Lucy smiled. "Thank you."

Lex nodded and made his way back to the door. He reached for the doorknob, but the sight of something in his peripheral vision stopped him dead cold. A wave of nausea hit him, and it suddenly became a battle to keep himself upright.

"Lex?" a soft and beautiful voice whispered in dismay, crippling him even further. Lex could feel his strength draining from him as an unfamiliar pain grew in his heart, twisting around his insides and fighting against his very nature.

_I've got to get out of here_, he told himself, yet the desire to leave was overwhelmed by another, more powerful desire, and Lex did not move. He could not move.

"Lex!" the voice said again, its owner running toward him at full speed. A pair of smooth, silky arms made their way around his chest, and a pair of soft, rich lips drifted to his own.

His heart took over, ignoring the pain her presence was causing, and he wrapped his arms around her and deepened the kiss that she so freely gave him. He soon found himself lost in her, all thoughts and cares cast aside as his mind focused on the woman in his arms and only on her. She had been through so much. He could feel the suffering still lingering in her. It had lessened since he had felt it last, but it was still there, just beneath the surface. She still needed him. She was still hurting inside, and all he wanted to do was go in and take her hurt away.

Chloe withdrew her kiss and snuggled her head into his chest, new tears forming in her eyes and drifting down her cheek. Each tear opened a gateway into her heart, and all the pain and suffering inside slowly began to fade in intensity, as if his mere presence diminished her wounds. The thrill that feeling her pain slowly fade away gave him blocked out the pain that his body was receiving for several more minutes, and he was content with just holding her.

Her crying subsided, and she slowly pulled away from him, wiping her eyes and taking a deep breath to clear her lungs.

The loss of contact brought Lex out of his daze, and the pain came rushing at him all at once. _I have to get out of here._ "I have to go." Placing a quick kiss on her forehead, he whispered, "I love you," and forced himself to the door. He opened it and closed it behind him, then began to run from the apartment. Six steps later the pain overwhelmed him, and he collapsed to the ground in agony.

Lex lay helpless on the ground for several more minutes, attempting to focus on anything other than the beautiful and amazing woman just down the hall. Managing to pick himself up once more, he made his way to his car and got in, collapsing in the front seat. Unable to handle the intensity of the pain coursing through him, his mind shut down and he drifted into unconsciousness.

* * *

_He's not gone. He's not gone. He's not gone._

"Lo'?"

The sound of her father's voice went unanswered, as her mind continued to echo the only phrase that was keeping it sane. _He's not gone. He's not gone. He's not gone._

"I know what you are going through, Lois. I know how hard this is. When your mother died, I lost it. I couldn't go on. I shut the whole world out and retreated into myself. I shut my friends out. I shut my parents out. I shut your sister out. And I shut you out. Ella was everything to me, and when she died, I had nothing left to give."

_He's not gone. He's not gone. He's not gone._

"I've been such a terrible father to you and Lucy over the years. I let my pain and my grief cripple me, and I missed out on so much because of it. I didn't let myself love you because I was afraid of losing you too."

_I didn't lose him. He's not gone. He can't be gone._

"I let my fear of losing you stop me from truly loving you. And I am so sorry for that.

"Baby, you can't make the same mistake I did. You can't shut everyone out. You have to let him go. It's not wrong to love him, and it hurts to lose the ones we love. But you have to start dealing with your pain, Lo'. You can't let your fear cripple you. You have to trust. You will never be able to give your heart to anyone if you don't let yourself trust."

Her father continued to talk to her, but Lois no longer heard his words. Something he said took a hold of her mind and refused to let go. _You will never be able to give your heart to anyone if you don't let yourself trust._ Her tears from before resurfaced, only this time they flowed from a different well. These were tears of guilt.

Her father's last word echoed in her mind once again. Trust. She had never fully trusted Clark, and had therefore never truly given him her whole heart. If she had truly trusted him, losing her bracelet would not have been the major heart shatterer that it was. She didn't need the bracelet to ensure Clark's love for her. She didn't even need a connection to him. He would love her always and forever, even unto death. Just as nothing inside her could make him love her, so nothing inside her could take that love away. No matter who she was or who she would become, Clark would still love her with his whole heart. Why oh why hadn't she been able to do the same?

Her father was right. Her fear _had_ crippled her. Her fear had kept her from doing the one thing she wanted more than anything else: to know Clark completely and to give herself completely to him. And now it was too late. Clark was gone. It was too late to show Clark all of herself. It was too late to give him everything. It was all too late.

_I love you, Clark. Completely and without strings. I'll always love you. I'll miss you so much._

Lois closed her eyes and let herself go. Her tears came back, and she began to grieve for her husband, tucked close into her father's loving arms. She wouldn't let fear hold her back. Not any longer. Not ever again. She had lost her husband, the love of her life. But she still had people around her that loved her, and that she loved in return. It wasn't enough. It would never be enough, not without Clark. But she wouldn't waste what she did have. She wouldn't waste the love that her father was giving her right then, a love she had waited most of her life to receive. She would not waste a single moment ever again.

* * *

_I love you, Clark. Completely and without strings. I'll always love you. I'll miss you so much._

The world slowly came back into focus for Clark, and at once he was struck with how empty his mind was. It was at peace. No war raged within it. No inner struggle threatened to send him down the dark path. No voice pressured him at every turn, tempting him and taunting him to turn. He was free.

Yet he was empty, too. Something else was not right. Something was missing. He felt hollow, incomplete, like the dearest part of his heart had been taken away. And he knew exactly what it was.

Lois was gone. She was not dead, for her heartbeat still rang out softly in his ears, proving her continued life, but his connection to her was missing. He could no longer feel what she felt, could no longer sense her location and his proximity to her. The silence was deafening.

The desire to be near her hit him suddenly, as if his body had realized what it had lost and was desperately trying to compensate. He needed her. He needed to see her, needed to touch her, needed to hold her and inhale her scent. He needed his wife back. But he could not go. Not after what he had done. Not after the mistakes he had made. He had ruined their lives forever, and he could not go back and face her now. He was a criminal. An escaped criminal. His reputation was ruined. He would lose his job, and likely ruin any chances of ever getting a job again. No one hired criminals, especially not the security sector, the only thing he really knew how to do well. He could not face her now. Not after what he had become. Not after what he had almost done.

Clark's mind wandered to the beginning, to the moment that started everything, the moment he had picked up the Sunday evening edition of the _Daily Planet_ and had seen the name Brandon Brown where his wife's name should have been. That was the moment it started, the moment he had first willingly kept something from his wife. If only he had come to her right away. If only he had told her the truth and then offered his support, instead of trying to take matters into his own hands without her. They were stronger together. They had always been stronger together. He should have trusted in her. He should have been honest with her. Instead he had shut her out, and now she was shut out of his heart completely. If he could have gone back and done things differently, he would have. But it was too late now. It was far, far too late.

But Lois was his wife! He had made a promise, and not so long ago. "_I promise to love you, cherish you, and hold only you until the day that I die. Though the foundations of the world fall away, still I will be yours, forever and always. You are my angel, and I love you more than life itself. I give my heart and life to you now and join myself to you forever._" Could he walk away from that promise? Did he even want to?

Honesty. It was a lack of honesty that had started this whole mess, and it was a lack of honesty that had taken Lois from him. He couldn't continue that cycle now. He didn't want to live his life without her. Not now, and not ever. He had to go to her. He had to come clean. He had made a lot of mistakes in the past week, but marrying Lois was not one of them. They were stronger together. They could get through this. They had to.

What he had done no longer mattered. All that mattered was Lois. If she still loved him, despite what he had done, then that was all that was important. He knew Lois. She would still love him no matter how far he fell. The only thing he had to lose was his pride, and considering the cost of not losing it, humility was no sacrifice. Lois was worth any cost.

Clark focused his senses, honing in on his wife's heartbeat. Finding its direction, he took off to the skies and flew back to the woman that had shown him how to fly.

* * *

Lois could not sleep. Her body had been resting for the past hour, but her mind refused to let go. It was too filled with thoughts and memories to rest, even for a moment. Memories were all she had left.

Her father had spent most of the day with her, holding her and attempting to help her through her grief, though they both knew that such a thing was impossible. He could be there for her, but grieving was something she had to do on her own. He could not grieve for her.

Her tears had come and gone all day. At times she would be fine, at others she would sob uncontrollably. When the tears threatened, she let them come. Clark would want her to cry. He would want her to let go, want her to grieve. She would not disgrace his memory by holding her feelings inside. His memory is what kept her alive.

She still didn't know how she was going to go on without him. She had shared so much with him in the last several years and especially in the last few months, and there was so much she still wanted to share with him. She understood marriage. She knew what it meant to commit your life to someone forever. It meant giving up her pride and independence at times to serve him, it meant enduring bad breath in the morning and accepting his sloppy kisses anyway, and it meant taking care of him and loving him when all his teeth and hair had fallen out and he was old and wrinkled. She knew what it meant to love him forever, and she had been willing and even looked forward to those moments, for she loved him and wanted to share everything she had experienced and everything she would experience with him. Yet now she never would. Her marriage was over before it had barely begun.

Despite the pain that she knew would come from the revelation, she needed to know how he had died. She needed to see his body one last time and understand the how behind his death, even if she would never understand the why. Her heart would not let her let go of him until that happened, no matter how much her mind told her that he was gone. She needed to see him, even if it was in body only.

A soft thump sounded just outside of her bedroom window, and for a moment her heart once again filled her with hope. She sat up in her bed with a start, hoping against hope that it had all been a bad dream, and that Clark had just landed on the balcony just outside their bedroom, returning from a patrol of the city. Her eyes centered on the handle of the balcony door, waiting for it to turn and for her husband to hold her once again. But it didn't turn. He was still gone. She was still without him.

Her head fell back to her pillow as her tears returned to her with full force. Why did it have to be so hard? Why did he have to leave her? Why oh why had this happened to her? She needed him back. She needed him to hold her. She needed him to tell her that everything would be all right. She needed _him_.

She continued to cry, until soon her eyes grew heavy and her mind started to shut itself off. She closed her eyes in submission. She needed this. She needed sleep. She needed to dream of a time when she wasn't so lost, when Clark was alive and she was in his arms, just as it should be.

For a moment she could almost feel him beside her, wrapping her in his arms, and she smiled. _Yes, the way it should be._ She knew it would not last. She knew she would wake up and he would be gone, but at the moment she didn't care. She needed to let herself believe it was real, if only to release her momentarily from the pain that had been pressing on her heart all day.

"I love you, Lois. I'm here. It's going to be okay."

Yes, it would be okay. He was alive, holding her, kissing her cheek…

"Clark?"

Her senses went into overdrive, as adrenaline filled her body and had her wide awake in a split second. She sat up with a start in her bed, looking around the room franticly. He wasn't there. It was just a dream.

"Lois?"

Could it really be? Lois turned around and didn't believe her eyes, but her heart didn't really care. She knew it wasn't real, but she jumped into his arms anyway, pulling him close and not letting go, releasing her agony into his shoulder.

"Tell me this isn't a dream."

"I'm not a dream, Lois. I'm here. I'm really here. I've been a stupid fool, and I'm so sorry for all I've put you through. I love you, Lois. With all my heart, I love you. I'm so so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you."

It was true. He was alive! Clark was alive! It didn't matter how. It didn't matter why. All that mattered was that he was there, and that he was there with her.

"I have so much to tell you. I have so much I…I…have done. Lois, I-"

Lois leaned in and kissed him, cutting off his words. Her sob broke the kiss, and Clark showed her he understood, letting her fall back to the bed as he pulled her closer. She needed him. She needed him to hold her, kiss her, and love her. Their conversation could wait for the morrow. She needed the comfort that only he could provide, the healing that only his presence could give. She needed _him_. And at last she had him.


	13. Aftershock

**Chapter Eleven - Aftershock**

"What the hell?"

Brandon Brown surveyed the damage to the jail in shock. When his contact from the police department had called about the breakout, he had expected a picked lock or a struggle with the guards. But this? This was another matter entirely. Who or what ever had been kept in the cell in question had only been kept there as long as it had by its own choice. This had scoop written all over it.

"That's what I said. You've got to wonder what the guards have been feeding them here."

Brandon tore his eyes from the destruction to send a half-hearted glance towards his contact; the short Richard Schmidt. And he was short. Ridiculously short. He hadn't known God made men so short until he had met the four foot eleven Rich. Though Brandon knew his size only made him all the more dangerous; such a height disadvantage tended to make one underestimate a man, and Rich's skills with a sidearm were the stuff of legend.

"Who was on duty when this happened?"

"A man named Clint Eastwood. No relation to the actor. My superiors are with him now."

Brandon raised an eyebrow upon hearing the guard's name. Oh the jokes he must have endured as a child. It would be interesting to see how a man with such a name had turned out.

"What about video footage?"

"That is still being checked on. One of the cameras has metal fragments in it, and the other isn't positioned at a great angle. We're still not sure how much was caught on tape."

"Who was in this cell?" Brandon asked, motioning to the cell with its door missing.

Rich began flipping through several pages on a clipboard. "A guy named…uh, that's odd."

"What?"

"His name is missing."

"What do you mean, missing?"

"Have a look for yourself," Rich said, handing him the clipboard. He scanned the page quickly and found that the name had indeed been left out.

Brandon pulled out a pocket digital camera and took a quick snapshot of the page, then handed the clipboard back to Rich.

"Mr. Brown, about our deal?"

"Get me a copy of that tape, Rich, and we're even."

Rich nodded in response, turned, and walked away. Brandon smiled and returned his eyes back to the cells, taking pictures as he went. He had perhaps ten minutes before the rest of the police department noticed his presence and forced him to leave. Richard always managed to give him ten minutes, though after today their arrangement would be over and he would have to revert to the more traditional investigative methods. Brandon didn't mind. He had a feeling the tape would be worth it. There was just something about this case…

A small piece of red fabric caught his eye, and he stooped down and picked it up. He looked it over for a few moments, put it into a small plastic bag, and slipped it into his jacket. A slight smile came to his lips. This was going to be a very interesting story.

* * *

A sudden foul taste in her mouth brought Lois out of the best night's rest she'd had in days, and she groaned slightly in protest. Her eyes fluttered open, and her mind suddenly registered the cause of the taste that had awoken her. She rolled her eyes and attempted to push her husband off of her, only to succeed in breaking his lips contact with her own instead. Not routed by her efforts, he let his wet lips drift to her neck instead, and Lois groaned again. Though this time it was for an entirely different reason.

"Smallville…" she whined. "It's early."

He gave no indication that he heard her, as his assault on her neck continued without pause. She attempted to move, and his body pressed more firmly against hers in response, pinning her down.

She stifled a giggle. "Smallville…"

His kisses morphed at the mention of his name, changing into outright slobbering on her neck.

A laugh slipped out of her mouth, and Clark lifted his head up to look at her. "Oh. I didn't know you were awake. Good morning," he said as he leaned in and planted a soft kiss on her lips. His demeanor grew serious as he pushed himself up to look into her eyes. "How are you doing?"

Lois used her hand to wipe her face and neck dry, glanced at her hand, and glanced up at Clark with a mischievous smile. "Well I've had better wake up calls."

Clark's expression softened slightly, but the worry did not leave his eyes completely. "Are you sure you're okay?" He rolled over on to his side, freeing her to sit up, which she did.

She took his hand and nodded. "I'm going to be. You're here. You're alive. And you love me." She smiled. "I'm going to make it."

He nodded and smiled slightly, but she caught the tears in his eyes.

"Clark? What is it?"

"I've really messed things up for us, Lois, and I don't know if I can fix them. I don't…I don't know how to tell you what happened. I've hurt you so much already. I don't want to lose you."

Lois pulled him to her and hugged him. "I love you, Smallville. I love you with my whole heart, and I promised you my whole life. I'm not going to leave you. I'm not going to give up on us. Not now and not ever."

Her words had been meant to comfort, but his tears only fell faster, his embrace of her only grew tighter. He was hurting, and her heart hurt for him. She knew he had things to say. She knew he thought what he had to tell her would destroy them. But she knew differently. It didn't matter what he had done, or what had caused their connection to be broken. Her heart would always be connected to his, even if it no longer beat in the same rhythm as his. She knew him. She believed in him. She had faith in him, in them. She knew they could get through this together. All she needed was to convince him of that.

"I gave up on us, Lois. I gave up on us. But I can't let you go. I don't want to live without you. I couldn't take it. You have to forgive me. Please, forgive me, Lois. Please…"

Lois stroked his back and whispered the words she knew he so desperately wanted to hear. "I forgive you, Clark. And I love you. We'll make it through this. I promise." And she meant it. Fate had given them a second chance, and she knew without a shadow of a doubt that they would make it. Their relationship might be shaken, but it would never be broken. She was his, and he was hers. Forever.

* * *

_He loves me._

Chloe let her eyes flutter open as a content smile spread across her face. She had known he liked her. She had known for quite a long time. But love? She hadn't expected it. Not yet. Not so soon. Not from Lex.

Lex had always been closed off and guarded. How could he not, with a father like Lionel Luthor? His father had changed eventually, but the damage had already been done. Anger, deceit, and darkness had already been drilled into him. His capability for love had already been damaged by a man that had shown him none.

Clark had changed that. And for that she would be forever thankful. But it had taken years for Lex to let go of his suspicions and trust Clark, and it had taken him even longer to love him like he did now.

Lex had grown so much since then. He still battled his inner demons, but he was now winning the fight. And how hard he fought! Each day was a struggle against his old nature, and each day he fought it for all he was worth. He would always fight it. He would never give up. Not now, and not ever. He was truly a great man, such a departure from the man he used to be.

Love, though? She had hoped and prayed that one day he might love her, but she knew going into the relationship that there was no guarantee. But he did! He truly did. The kiss, the way he held her, and the conviction in his voice when he uttered the words she had hoped to one day hear convinced her of that. It was a dream come true, a fantasy made reality. Lex Luthor loved her! What could ever be more amazing than that?

"'Loe!"

Chloe sat up as a little blond wonder jumped on her bed and into her arms. Her smile widened and she kissed her on the forehead.

"Good morning, Lily. You're up early."

Lily laughed. "You snoozing. Lulu make me breakfast."

Chloe blinked for a second as she took in the latest of an ever expanding list of nicknames. Lo', 'Loe, and now Lulu. The first two she understood. The last? She wasn't sure how Lucy ended up with the nickname, but she had the feeling it would both annoy her and be her badge of honor. Lily did seem to have that effect on people.

"Oh? What did she make you?"

"Waffs! With syrup and butta."

"Really? Were they yummy?"

"Mhmm…" she said, nodding. "Yummy. You want some? I make you some."

Chloe suddenly had an image of burnt waffles and spilled syrup blossom in her mind, and she at once settled against the wisdom of allowing such an action. Still, it would be so cute to see her try. What was a few burnt waffles when compared to such a beautiful little girl?

"How about I help you. Would you like that?"

Her eyes lit up and her mouth formed a smile enhanced 'O'. "Really? I make waffs with you?"

"Sure, Lily."

"Oh! We make waffs for 'Lark and Lo' too! Come!" she said with excitement, taking Chloe's hand and pulling her off the bed.

'Lark and Lo'? Clark was back? Lex must have found him after all. Chloe smiled as Lily dragged her into the kitchen. The past few days had been really bad, but somehow her life only seemed to be getting better and better. Lex's revelation the day before, the addition of Lily to her life, and now her cousin's renewed happiness. Not to mention the return of one of her best friends. Her life was good, spoiled only by one lingering question in the back of her mind. _Will it last?_

* * *

Clint groaned as a knock on the door pulled him from his sleep. He glanced over at his digital alarm clock. Eight o'clock. Who came to visit at eight in the morning? He had been given the day off, and he was still exhausted from the three hours he had spent with the police and two hours he had spent at the hospital the day before. He had been hoping to sleep in for at least another hour, but that didn't seem like it would happen now.

Another knock sounded from the front door, and Clint rolled out of bed and put on a pair of slacks and a button down shirt. Noticing his bed hair in the mirror, he put on a hat and went to the door, stopping to wonder for a moment if this wasn't yet another case of mistaken identity. Normally he enjoyed a good laugh over such instances, especially if after seeing him he was still asked for his autograph. Such had happened several times before, and Clint could not help but wonder at the complete ignorance of some people. But today he was not in the mood to humor anyone.

"I am not Clint Eastwood!" Clint exclaimed as he opened the door. The smirk he received in reply was not what he had been expecting.

"Are you sure? You seem to be about the right height, weight…"

Clint frowned.

"…and this is the address that the city jail gave me. But if they gave me your address by mistake, I can call them and let them know he has moved."

Clint matched the man's smirk and extended a hand. "It seems you have found the man you are looking for. And you would be?"

"Brandon Brown, _Daily Planet_," Brandon said as he took his hand and shook it firmly. "I was wondering if you would be willing to spare a few moments of your time for an interview."

"I've already gone over everything with the Police. I don't remember anything. I don't even remember showing up to work yesterday."

"I know. I thought I could help you recover the memories."

"Oh?"

Brandon smiled and held up a small bound package. "The video surveillance tape from the prison. And it isn't anything like what was seen on the news last night. This is the real deal, what really happened."

Clint raised an eyebrow. He had requested to see the tape himself while he was with the police, but they had refused. He really needed to see that tape. His memory loss troubled him as much as he knew it did the police. "Why don't you come in, Mr. Brown."

"Brandon. I prefer Brandon."

"Brandon it is then. Call me Clint." Brandon nodded and entered the room, and Clint closed the door and led him to the living room. "Shall we get started?"

* * *

For a moment, for a brief moment, the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders. Lois was the only one that could bring him there. She completed him, in every way imaginable. She gave him hope when he had none. She gave him strength when his own strength failed. She filled the void that had always been present in his heart. A void that might just make a comeback.

Clark clutched his wife's hand tightly as he waited for her response. She knew it all now. He hadn't left anything out. He had promised himself that he would never again hide anything from her, no matter what the consequences of doing so might be. So he had told her everything, from the moment he had first stumbled across her stolen _Daily Planet_ article to his awakening in the middle of nowhere late the night before. She had remained silent throughout his confession, except for once or twice when she had asked for clarification. Now all had been told, and he fearfully awaited her reply.

_I love you. We'll make it through this. I promise._

Her words echoed in his ears, and Clark swallowed hard and clenched Lois' hand still tighter, though not tight enough to hurt her. He lifted his gaze to her eyes, which were filled with an emotion that he couldn't quite place. In that moment the full depth of what he had lost hit him. Yesterday he would have known what she was feeling in an instant. He would have felt it himself. Today he couldn't even make out the expression in her eyes. He didn't know what his own wife was feeling! What kind of a man was he?

A single tear escaped and ran down Lois' cheek, and she cast her eyes to the ground. Sighing softly, she returned her gaze to his eyes and squeezed his hand in return. "Where will we go?"

Clark looked at her in confusion. _Go?_ "What?"

"I'm coming with you, Clark. I let you leave me once already. I'm not going to let you leave without me this time. You are my husband now. Wherever you go, I go."

Clark shook his head. "I can't let you leave everything, Lois. You've worked too hard to throw it all away for my mistakes."

"Leave? Leave what? I just lost my entire world, and now I have you back. You are my home, Smallville. You are my family. Nothing else matters to me. I get a say in this. I'm going with you."

"No, Lois, I can't let you do this. Lily, Chloe, they need you. I can't let what I've done hurt you any more than it already has."

"They could come with us. We could all go to the fortress. We'd be safe there."

"Lois…"

"I know. But you can't leave me now. It's not…safe. I don't want to lose you Clark. I have to go with you. Please don't leave me again."

This time Clark did know what she was feeling. Fear, desperation, loss. Love. He could see it all in her eyes, in the way she clenched his hand, in the tone of her voice. With more time, perhaps he could learn to read her in every moment. Time, it seemed, he did not have.

"I could never leave you, Lois. I couldn't bear it. But I can't let you leave everything you have here. I can't let you leave Lily and Chloe to fend for themselves. I can't let anyone else be hurt because of my mistakes."

Lois shook her head in frustration. "No. There has to be another way."

Clark nodded. "There is. I'm going to turn myself in."

"What!?" Lois nearly screamed. "But they could kill you! The guard, he saw you jump through the roof! You can't turn yourself in."

"Lois, I have to. It's the only way to protect you, Chloe, Lily, my parents. It is the only way to make up for what I have done."

"What you have done, Clark? You broke into the _Planet_. How many times have you broken into a locked building before? You shouldn't have to pay for a mistake like that."

"You shouldn't have to pay for my mistakes, either."

Lois released his hand, slapped him hard across the face, and got off the bed, leaving a very shocked Clark in her wake. Just below a whisper, Clark heard her whimper an "ow" as she gently rubbed her hand. She turned her back to him and shook her head.

Clark's mind was racing. She had hit him. Lois had hit him. She had never done that before. He hadn't expected it at all. Was she hurt? Why had she done it? Was it something he had said? What was she feeling? Why wouldn't she let him see her face?

Clark stood up and walked up behind her, putting his hand on her shoulder, half expecting her to shrug it off. She didn't. Instead, she surprised him yet again. She turned around and kissed him. Passionately.

Their kiss was broken by a sob, and she pulled away, only to pull him into a tight embrace. "I love you, Smallville. I love you," she whispered into his ears before burying her head in his chest.

"I love you too, my angel. I love you too."

Clark held her as she cried into his chest, finally understanding the reason behind her behavior. He was scared too.

* * *

Her tears had subsided over an hour ago. Clark had been there to help her through her fears and her pain, as he always was. She didn't know how much longer that would be true, but at the moment she didn't want to think about it. She wanted to take full advantage of the time with him that she did have, not focus on what might come.

Lois began drawing circles on her husband's bare chest as they lay together in their bed, taking a sudden interest in every detail. She wanted to memorize everything about him. She wanted to burn this moment into her mind forever. She didn't know how, but somehow she knew that she would need this moment in the days to come. Despite all that had happened, all the pain she had gone through, and all the conflict she had had with Clark earlier, they were still able to create moments like this. This moment was proof that no matter what happened between them, there was still hope and there was still a reason to press on. It reminded her that being with him was worth any costs. She would face anything if it meant making it back to a moment like this.

"Smallville?"

Clark didn't need to look up. He had been studying her face with the same intensity as she had been studying his chest.

"Yes Lois?"

"What do you think of Lily?"

Clark absentmindedly began stroking her back as he answered her question. "I don't know. I only saw her for a little bit yesterday. From what I saw, though, I love her already. She's a very beautiful child. So sweet and innocent. She reminds me that there really are good things in this world. It is worth fighting for."

Lois smiled and gazed honestly into his eyes. "I know. I don't think I've ever seen anything so beautiful. She sees the world so differently than we do. She lost everything that she has ever known, yet she can still smile and laugh. And you should see her with Chloe. It's…it's so beautiful. I've never seen Chloe so taken to anyone. It's like she's found her best friend, and I never thought it would be with a four year old girl."

Her cheeks grew red, and she looked back down at his chest, to the spot where her hand was still stroking. After a moment, she stole a quick glance back at him, and saw only love and awe in his eyes. With a simple glance he gave her the courage to continue. How did he do that?

"I can't imagine what it would be like to have children of our own. I've only known Lily for a few days, and I love her more than I thought was possible. Can you imagine what it would be like to hold an infant child that our love created for the first time?"

Clark shook his head slightly. "I can't. Though I don't think it would be much different. My parents loved me like a child of their own. I don't know that I would love Lily any more if she were ours, except that I would have had more time with her. Lois, have you changed your mind? Do you want children of our own?"

She knew what conversation he was referring to. They had talked about all of the big marriage issues long before their wedding day had come. On one particular day, children had come up, and Lois had told him that she didn't think she was ready for such a commitment yet, if indeed it was possible for her to even conceive through him. He had asked her if she would ever want children, and if she would be okay with never being able to have children of their own. She had said that she didn't know if she would one day want children, but that she did want to marry him even if children would never be a possibility. Though she hadn't realized the true depth of what she had been saying until Lily had been brought into her life.

"I don't know. Yes, I think so. Lily has opened up a part of my heart I didn't think existed. I think she awakened a desire I never knew I had. Do you?"

"Fatherhood scares the hell out of me, yet at the same time I don't think there's anything I want more. Which is why I am so thankful for Lily. She isn't ours in any sense of the word, but she still fills a part of my heart that has always been empty.

"Lois, do you…I know this is too soon, but would you be open to adopting Lily someday in the future?"

Lois smiled. "I would. But something tells me it isn't going to work out like that."

Clark gave her a confused look. "Why do you think that?"

"You haven't seen Chloe with her yet. It really is something to behold."

Clark's confusion continued for a few more moments as he looked into her eyes searchingly, but eventually it hit him. "Oh. Oh! You really think Chloe and Lily…? I didn't think Chloe was the motherly type."

"She's not. But if you recall, neither was I. When I look at what Chloe and Lily have, it reminds me what it used to be like with my mother and I. She wasn't just my mother. She was my friend. I felt safe, at peace, and unashamed. If Chloe can give that to Lily, I don't want to stand in the way."

Clark reached up and touched her face. "You never cease to amaze me, Lois. I love you."

Her heart jumped in her chest, just like it always did when he uttered those three words. She took his voice in, running the words over and over in her mind, committing the very tone to memory. The look in his eyes nearly brought tears to hers. How could he love her so much? How could he be so understanding?

She didn't respond to him with words. Instead, she pulled herself completely on top of him, leaned down, and kissed him softly. He had given her everything she had ever wanted. She wanted to give him everything he wanted, too. She wanted to please him.

Clark quickly recognized her intentions, and he began to take charge. As he did, she leaned in close and whispered in his ear, "I want to bear your children, my Smallville." She knew the chances of conceiving were slim, but she also knew he would understand the significance of her words.

The world around her began to fade from view as her attention shifted completely to memorizing every part and movement of her husband, and to giving him everything she had to give. It wasn't the same as it had been before her heart had stopped beating in sync with his, but somehow it meant even more. This time she trusted him completely. This time she was giving him her whole heart. No matter what happened after this moment was gone, she new she could take it. Clark loved her, and that would never change. She loved and trusted him, and that wouldn't change either. For once in her life, she had no regrets. She was safe, at peace, and unashamed. Who would have ever thought she would ever feel that way again?

* * *

Brandon scratched his head and poured over all of the notes spread across his desk once again. He knew he was missing something obvious. There was a connection he wasn't making. But what was it?

Mr. Eastwood hadn't been very helpful. Brandon could spot a lie a mile away. And he was pretty sure that "Clint" was completely incapable of subterfuge. The guy simply didn't remember anything. It was almost as if the entire day surrounding the events at the jail had been erased. He had fallen and hit his head pretty hard, but his memory loss was almost too convenient. Everything was a little too convenient. No one knew who had arrested the inmate that had escaped. His name had "inadvertently" been left off the prisoner log. The guard that had been on duty when he had been checked in was dead; hit by a drunk driver on his way home. The inmate in the cell across from him had a bullet hole in his head. And Clint, the only other man that could identify him, had memory loss; memory loss of only the time period he would have encountered the inmate, the Phantom.

Brandon shivered. The footage from the tape was the most disturbing thing of all. The local news networks had explained away the condition of the cells and the hole in the ceiling of the jail as the result of a bomb. They obviously hadn't been privy to the security tapes. The footage faded in and out, but what it did show chilled him to the bone. Whoever the inmate was, he was capable of the unimaginable. Brandon had never seen such a display of strength. The transformation he made when using that strength made it all the more unbelievable. If he hadn't seen the tape with his own eyes, he wouldn't have believed it. It seemed more like something out of a comic book than something based in reality. The transformation that took place seemed eerily similar to something from _The Incredible Hulk_, though the Phantom was far creepier. Who was this man that he could refashion steel bars with his bare hands?

"I'm an idiot!" Brandon said as he smacked himself in the head. It was so obvious. Why hadn't he seen it before?

Brandon got up, grabbed his jacket, and headed for the door, shaking his head in the process. He should have connected his two cases earlier. It was so clear now. There were still a few answers he had not yet found, but now he knew where to get them. He had an interview to conduct. He would get the answers he needed one way or another. Lois Kent was going to talk. He would make sure of it.

* * *

A gunshot sounded. Clark's world slowed to a crawl. He had to get there before…he had to get there in time. His speed kicked in, and he ran straight through the wall, honing in on the bullet. Panic set in. It was too far. He wouldn't get there in time to…NO! He had to make it.

One hundred feet to the bullet; six inches to the target. Fifty feet; two inches. Twenty feet; impact. _NO!_

The remaining distance was made up, and Clark caught Lois as she fell to the ground. His hands began to shake. Her blood began to flow from her. Her heart began to slow. He placed a hand against the wound as the tears filled his eyes.

"Sma…"

"Shhh…it's going to be fine. You're going to be fine."

She smiled weakly and reached for his face with her hand, smearing blood on his face.

"I lo…ve…love…"

"No, you've got to hold on. Come on, fight! I'm going to save you. You just need to hold on."

Her smile faded as her eyes began to shut. Her face was so pale. This couldn't be happening.

He looked around franticly. "Somebody help me!"

Thump, thump. Thump…thump. Thump…

"LOIS!"

Clark shot up in his bed with a start. His heart was pounding in his chest; his whole body was shaking. He looked around quickly. He was in his room. It had just been a nightmare. Lois was fine. Lois was right beside…

Panic set in again as he frantically scanned the room. Where was she? Where was his Lois?

He jumped out of his bed and ran to his bedroom door. In his haste, he managed to remove the door from its frame, sending it flying behind him. He stepped into the living room and was met by a very shocked Lucy.

"Damn! No wonder she married you…"

Clark continued to scan the room. Lucy…Sam Lane at the front door…Chloe, Lily in their bedroom…where was she?

"Where is she?" he exclaimed, his voice filled with obvious panic.

Lucy tore her gaze from her brother-in-law's exposed form and made herself look at his eyes. "What?"

"Where's Lois!?"

"Oh. She had to run an errand. She'll be back soon."

His panic subsided slightly. She was safe. Wasn't she? He tuned his hearing to her heartbeat, attempting to pick it out of all the noise of the city.

"Eh…Clark?"

Clark opened his eyes and looked at Lucy. He didn't have time for this. He needed to find Lois.

"Could you put some clothes on? As much as I love the view, I don't think Lois would appreciate me checking out her things."

Clark's eyes widened as he looked down, suddenly noticing that he was in his birth clothes.

"I'll be right back."

"Right. No problem," she said with a giggle, most likely a response to the redness of his face.

Clark took a robe from the closet and slipped it on, then paused for a moment as he attempted to quiet his nerves. Lois was fine. It had only been a nightmare. He was overreacting. Having trouble locating her heartbeat didn't mean she was in trouble. It always took him a few minutes to find her in the city. Right?

"Is Clark up?" Sam Lane's voice brought Clark from his thoughts. The usually collected man seemed a bit on edge.

"Yes. He should be out in a minute."

"He needs to see this," he said, this time with a touch of fear in his voice.

Clark was in the room in a second, snatching the piece of paper from his hand and scanning it quickly.

_Superman, meet me at the top of Metropolis Tower by one o'clock if you want to see your wife alive again. Come alone._

His eyes widened in horror. _Lois._


	14. Choice

**Chapter Twelve - Choice**

Lois parked her car just outside the entrance to the Kawachi caves, her mind still reeling from everything that she had learned in the last twenty-four hours. It was happening. It was really happening. She hadn't truly believed that this day would come. She knew Clark; she knew his heart. And it was just a thousand year old prophecy written on the walls of the cave that had once held Jor-El's consciousness. How accurate could it be?

Lois sighed as she made her way to the cave wall, fingering an octagonal piece of metal in her hand. So the drawings did hold some worth. So perhaps it hadn't been disbelief. No, if she was honest with herself, she would have to say that it was hope that had kept her in doubt. She had hoped, for Clark's sake, that this day would never come.

She held the octagonal key up to its matching place in the wall, and the multicolored control panel came to life. She put in the correct sequence of symbols, and the wall to the left began to slide away, revealing the inner chamber. Removing the key, she entered the newly revealed room and placed the key in its place on the circular table, causing the entire room to be enveloped by a blinding bluish white light. A moment later the light was replaced by a white blanket of snow, as far as the eye could see. A crystal castle stood in the distance. And…cold.

Lois shivered, wrapping her heavy coat tighter around herself. This was the part she hated. She still didn't understand why Clark had chucked the stone so many years ago. The cave still transported travelers to the original spot, which meant she was going to have to make the hike up to the fortress in the cold weather. If he had only planted the stone where they had first appeared, she wouldn't have this problem every time she came here. She would be transported to the fortress directly.

She sighed and made the short trek to the fortress, then ran to her old room. The warm air that greeted her was a welcome relief from the blistering cold of the outside elements. She took a moment to warm herself before turning to her primary objective: Lara's crystal. She made her way to the left side of the room and took the crystal from its place on the shelf. Warmth enveloped her, removing the last traces of shivers, and a voice echoed in her mind.

"_Welcome, young daughter._"

"Hello, Lara."

"_It has been some time since we last spoke. Your visits have…you have wed Kal-El! I have hoped for this day for a long time, my daughter. Welcome to the family of El._"

"Thank you, Lara. But I don't have time to waste. I need your help."

"_As you wish. What do you require, my daughter?_"

"It's happening. The prophecy is real. I don't know what to do."

"_Prophecy? Of which prophecy do you speak?_"

"The one on the cave walls. Naman. Segeeth. The two heads on one body. The one man with two destinies, good or evil. Clark's facing the choice, and I don't know what to do."

"_My daughter, this is very important. What, specifically, has happened?_"

"I don't know exactly. Clark told me he felt a presence in his mind. He felt a pull to do evil, and heard voices encouraging him to follow the pull. He resisted the thoughts and came back to me. But I fear this is just the beginning."

"_So it has returned. These are dark times, indeed. My daughter, your diligence will be required in the coming days. The fate of the world rests on Kal-El's choice. He will need your support. He will need your guidance. He will need your love._"

"But what do I do? How do I help him choose what is right? How will I even know what choices are the right ones?"

"_Your heart is pure and strong, my daughter. Your love for my Kal-El is a deep well. You will know, when the time comes, what you must do. Until then, you must show him your love. Stay close to him. Give your heart to him wholly. Your light will show him the way._

"_You may be called to sacrifice everything, my daughter. I do not know what may come. The old enemy is crafty. The choice will be a difficult one. Kal-El must make the right one, or the Earth will face a darkness that will consume it. It is up to you, my daughter. You are the greatest weapon we have. Kal-El's love for you can be his greatest weakness or his greatest strength. It is up to you to make his love a strength._

"_I wish this burden was not yours to bear. I wish I could bear it for you. But I cannot. You must bear this, but you do not bear it alone. I go with you. Jor-El goes with you. The hearts of two peoples go with you. You, my daughter, are our only hope._

"_You must leave quickly. Kal-El's choice could be at any moment. May the light guide you._"

The glow emanating from the crystal faded, and Lois placed it back in its place on the shelf. Lois quickly bundled herself up and left the room. She had heard the urgency in Lara's voice. _Any moment_, she had said. She needed to get back to Metropolis, back to Clark. Quickly.

Lois ran to the platform and activated the crystal that would transport her back to the cave. The bluish white light rose around her once again, only to fade a few moments later. She was back in the cave.

She turned around and headed for the exit, only to stop when she came face to face with an evil smile and the bad end of a gun.

"Hello, Lois. Welcome to the end."

A gunshot sounded, and Lois felt a sharp pain begin to come from her abdomen, followed by numbness through out her body. She collapsed to the ground, and a moment later all was black.

* * *

Clark circled the city frantically, desperately trying to catch the sound of his wife's heartbeat. Each moment that he did not find it only served to increase his panic. Lois wasn't dead. She couldn't be. He would know if she were dead. He would be able to feel it. Wouldn't he?

Desperation taking over, Clark flew to the top of Metropolis Tower. He couldn't risk losing her. He had to protect her. He had to keep her safe, no matter what the cost. Losing her was not an option.

Landing on the rooftop, he was met by a masked man. Anger consumed him, and he sped to the man and picked him up by his neck.

"Where is she?"

The man, unable to speak due to the pressure on his neck, simply pointed to the roof access door. Clark dropped him and rushed inside, only to be instantly assaulted by a feeling of weakness. As he fell to his knees, his eyes took a quick journey around the room, widening as they saw large quantities of green rock everywhere. The room was filled with Kryptonite.

_I've failed her._

The world began to fade from view, until a moment later all was black.

* * *

Lucy continued her pacing of the living room of her sister's apartment. She knew Lois could take care of herself, but that didn't stop her from worrying. It was her big sister! She deserved to worry.

Lucy paused her pacing as she attempted to calm her nerves. She really needed to just talk to someone, but at the moment that wasn't a possibility. Her father had convinced Chloe to leave with Lily before either of them had found out about Lois' disappearance, thinking that neither of them needed anything else to burden their already broken hearts. He had left shortly after to see if there was anything he could do to track his daughter down, and Clark had left as soon as he had read the note. She was alone.

A knock on the door brought her from her thoughts, and walked to the door and opened it, her mouth dropping slightly when she saw the man standing on the other side.

"B?"

"Lucy? What are you doing here?"

Lucy's eyes widened and her jaw dropped even more. Was he kidding? Shaking her head, she slapped him hard across the face.

"How dare you show your face after what you pulled. Bastard! I can't believe I ever saw anything in you."

Brandon stood in stunned silence for a moment, his hand touching his now very red cheek. "What was that for?"

"Don't you play with me. I'm tired of your games. You think I wouldn't find out? She's my sister! I read her story before she even submitted it to the Planet. Who do you think you are?"

Brandon's mouth dropped. "Wait, Lois Kent is your sister?"

"Don't act like you didn't know. Not that it matters. You stole her story! What kind of man would do such a thing, whether she's my sister or not?"

"Lucy, you have it all backwards. Lois asked me to publish the story under my name. I didn't steal it."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Lois came to me and asked me to publish the story under my name. She said she lacked credibility and needed the leverage to get herself into the world of journalism. I was going to have a talk with Ms. Khan later this week and explain that if a story by Lois Kent was good enough for a front page article, even if it was under my name, then she certainly deserved a chance at the _Daily Planet_. I agreed to help her out because I recognized her talent and know how harsh Khan is on newcomers. I had to get a Pulitzer to get her attention and land an article on the front page."

"But Lois didn't say anything to me about this."

"Go ask her now. Is she here?"

"No, she…she…I don't know where she is. We got a note earlier from her kidnappers. Clark and Daddy are trying to get her back right now."

"Clark?"

"Clark Kent. My sister's husband."

"Oh." He paused for a few moments, as the wheels seemed to be turning in his head. "Lucy, I think I can help her, but I need to know everything. And I mean everything. What is going on?"

Lucy paused as she considered what she should do. After several minutes of silence, she finally responded. "Clark isn't exactly normal…"

* * *

It was back. As the fog slowly lifted from his eyes, Clark recognized a new fog taking its place. "_Give in. It is worthless to fight it. Lois is gone. What is there to live for?_"

Clark shook the traitorous thoughts from his mind as he pulled himself up from the ground. He put a hand to the wall to steady himself as the dizziness set in. _I hate Kryptonite_, he thought as the blood finally started to flow to his brain. There was only one pain worse than the feeling that being around the green rock induced in him, a pain he had only recently been faced with and that still lingered in the back of his consciousness. _No. Lois is going to be fine._

"Hello, Clark. Feeling a bit wobbly, are we?"

"Lex?" Clark stood up straight and looked in the direction of the voice, spotting his friend on the other side of the room.

"In the flesh."

"What happened? Did you find Lois?"

Lex laughed and shook his head. "I'm afraid you have the wrong idea here, Clark. I didn't rescue you from the Kryptonite filled room. I put it there."

"What?"

"Come on, surely you saw the signs? Who else could have kidnapped Lois but the great Lex Luthor?"

Clark frowned. "Huh? Lois gets kidnapped all the time." _And she usually rescues herself_, he added silently.

"No, I-…okay, I have to concede to you there. Bad example. The point is that I was the one that set this all up. I kidnapped Lois. I dropped the note at your house. I set up the Kryptonite filled room. It was I, the great Lex Luthor."

Clark's frown changed to a look of worry. "Are you okay, Lex? You didn't hit your head on anything, did you? Come on, we need to find Lois. She's in trouble."

"Of course she is. I kidnapped her!"

Clark laughed. "Come on, Lex. Let's get out of here."

"I'm evil, damn it!"

Clark shook his head. What was with Lex today? He was beginning to wonder about his friend's sanity. But he didn't have time for this. Lois was his primary concern. Closing his eyes, he once again attempted to locate her heartbeat. _She's still alive. She has to be._ He opened his eyes with a start, a smile of joy spreading across his face. It was faint and slow, but it was there. Lois was alive!

He turned to Lex. "I have to go, Lex. We'll talk about this later." And a moment later, he was gone.

* * *

Rage filled Lex. No! This was not how it was supposed to happen. Who did he think he was? He was Lex Luthor, master of minds, destroyer of worlds. Kal-El could not treat him so flippantly. He would not allow it.

The anger built with in him, reaching a focal point in his hands. He looked deep within himself, summoning his inner reservoir of power, strengthening the growing fury. Controlled fury. Fury with purpose.

A purple glow began emanating from his hands, and as he moved them together, electrical sparks formed between them. The very fabric of space and time became putty in his hands, and with one final burst of power and strength, he ripped a whole in space.

Lex's mind left the confines of his body, searching the confines of the known world. There! Kal-El.

His hand began a counterclockwise motion, his finger painting a purple spiral in the air. Finishing the spiral, he straightened out his hand and forcefully struck it, sending the energy through the hole in space and towards his target. The energy hit Kal-El squarely in the chest, knocking him out of his super speed and sending him to the ground. Summoning his last reserves of power, Lex reached his hand through the space hole and took hold of the man that had so flippantly dismissed him earlier. He would not question his power again.

Lex ripped Kal-El from his location and through the space hole, closing it after him and sending him spiraling across the room.

"How dare you dismiss me! I am Lex Luthor! Master of minds. Destroyer of worlds. I should snuff out your insignificant existence right now." He reached out his hand and yanked Kal-El from the floor, lifting him into the air with a force of will and dragging him to his location. Throwing him to the ground, he formed a fist and struck him violently in the face, the Kryptonite in his ring having the desired effect. A smile spread across his face as he saw blood in his mouth. He was not invincible. Lex had control. Lex had the power.

Lex continued to throw punches, beating the insignificant man in front of him to a bloody pulp. As he prepared to deliver the final blow, he paused. There was still a chance he would turn. He could kill him later, if the need should arise. Everything was still in place. Sighing in disgust, he let Kal-El fall to the ground and put enough distance between them so that the Kryptonite would not damage him further.

"Look at you. Metropolis thinks you are a hero. A superman. A savior of the people. Well let's see how much of a hero you are." He pulled out a folder from his jacket and tossed it to the floor. "There are two high yield bombs planted in Metropolis. The first is located at an award ceremony where I am scheduled to be publicly thanked for my contributions to the city in a few minutes. Ten thousand people are scheduled to attend, and the blast will destroy many of the surrounding buildings, killing even more.

"The second bomb is located in a secluded bomb shelter. It is strapped to your wife. The collateral damage will be minimal, but she will be incinerated.

"The bombs are rigged to go off in five minutes. If one bomb is disarmed, the other will go off instantly. Details on disarming the bombs are in the folder, as well as the exact locations of each. Let's see how much of a hero you are."

Shaking his head in disgust, he turned and walked away. As soon as he was out of the room, he collapsed to the floor. Using that much power had been risky, but in his mind it was worth it. Kal-El needed to know his place. And regardless of the choice he made, the suffering that would result would give him enough strength to finish this. Smiling evilly, Lex slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

The world was spinning. A very foul aftertaste lingered on her tongue. As Lois attempted to steady the world around her, she cursed under her breath. The after affects of tranquilizer darts were far worse than those of even a hangover. Her head was pounding.

As her head cleared, a flash of images and memories assaulted her already overwhelmed brain. A ransom note. Metropolis Tower. Kryptonite. Lex. A choice.

It took her a few moments to recognize that the memories were not her own, and a few more to recognize them as Clark's. _Oh no! Clark!_

As her eyes shot opened in shock, she caught the red dials of a timer counting down to zero.

_3:41_

_3:40_

_3:39_

_3:38_


	15. Apocalypse

**Chapter Thirteen - Apocalypse**

Ice cream and coffee, two of the world's best inventions. Separate, each was amazing, but together? There was only one taste anywhere that was better, and that was up for debate. Coffee flavored ice cream, for all intents and purposes, was heaven.

Chloe took another lick of her cone as she glanced down at the young girl holding her hand. She smiled. Lily was making a mess; she had vanilla ice cream all over her face and down much of her shirt. It would be an adventure attempting to clean her up, but it was an adventure she looked forward to. Any time spent with her was time well spent. Never in her life had she been so happy or been filled with so much joy. Life's worries and cares just seemed to fade away whenever she was around this blond, blue eyed wonder. Clark and Lois were so very lucky to have her as their semi-adopted daughter. In reality they were only foster parents, but as beautiful as Lily was, she doubted it would stop there. An adoption was in Lily's near future, this Chloe knew with certainty.

A thought occurred to her, and Chloe stopped their casual stroll down the street to kneel down and look at Lily eye to eye. She laughed softly when she saw the severity of the ice cream's conquer of her face. All of her cheeks, her chin, and most of her upper face was covered in white. The only part that had escaped conquest was her nose, but Chloe knew just what to do to fix that. She playfully took her own ice cream cone and dabbed it on her noise, producing a giggle and retaliation from Lily.

Chloe wiped her nose dry with her hand an licked it clean with her hand, then smiled and asked Lily, "Would you like to meet someone very very special?"

"Like me?" she asked innocently.

Chloe smiled. "Yes, Lily, someone special like you. He is one of my very favorite people, and I think you will love him lots."

"We go now?" she exclaimed excitedly.

Chloe laughed. "Aren't we forgetting something, Lily?"

Lily dropped her cone on the ground and put on her best thinking face, placing her hand just under her chin and wrinkling her brow. She spent ten seconds in that position, then dropped her hand and shook her head. "No."

Chloe opened her purse and pulled out a package of wipes the ice cream vendor had given her, then proceeded to wipe down Lily's face and as much of her shirt as she could, much to the protest of Lily herself.

"I wanna do it."

Having already finished wiping away most of the damage, Chloe relented and handed Lily a fresh wipe. As she watched her make little progress on her face, she smiled sadly. Lily was as independent as anyone. Just like Lois. She definitely fit into Clark and Lois' lives.

Lily, apparently believing she was clean, handed the wipe back to Chloe and then proceeded to wipe her face dry with her blouse, exposing most of her stomach to the world. She still had a thing or two to learn about what it meant to be a lady. Knowing Lois, it was up to Chloe to teach her the finer points. But that could wait until later.

"All done! We go now?"

Chloe smiled, quickly finished cleaning up the mess on the ground, and threw away everything in one of the trash cans that seemed to be everywhere.

"Of course, Lily. Let's go meet my friend Lex."

She took her hand once more, and began the walk to Lex's penthouse, being completely unaware of what she would find when they arrived. Her earlier concerns, now forgotten, would be proven to be well founded. Could her happiness truly last?

* * *

Clark couldn't breath. He attempted to cough, struck his chest firmly, clenched his throat, and attempted to cough again. Finally dislodging the dark liquid from his throat, he spit it out and wiped his mouth with his arm, staining the blue fabric red. He groaned in pain, and nearly lost consciousness.

_The folder._

Clark's eyes came to rest on a manila folder lying on the floor across from him. Instinct told him he needed it, though his mind still didn't quite understand why.

Clark forced his body into submission, willing himself up on his elbows. His eyes locked on the folder, and with all his might he dragged his body across the floor to his destination, a trail of red forming in his wake. Everything hurt, but he cast the pain aside. There was a bomb. He had to get to the folder. He had to get to Lois. Her life depended on it.

He made it to the folder and pushed himself up to his knees, coughing more blood into his sleeve. He picked the folder up and stood up, taking a moment to steady himself. He felt his strength slowly returning to him. Stumbling his way to the window, his eye caught a bed on the far side of the room. _The_ bed. The place where he had first been with Lois.

He allowed his mind to wonder back to that first time. Her honesty. Their pillow fight afterwards. The way her hair fell across her face, and the one special lock she stroked when she was thinking about him. She was special. There was no one in the world like her. Her light hearted teasing could bring him out of the darkest mood, yet she could rescue him just as easily with a single tear. Her life, the very beating of her heart, gave him strength. He could not imagine a life spent without her in it.

Panic set in. He needed to get to her quickly. He had to get there in time. He had to save her. Taking one last look at the bed, he turned to the window, only to pause as all the pieces came together, his mind finally clearing itself from the haze that had been lingering over it. Lois was in danger, but so were ten thousand other people. Saving her meant dooming them. But saving them meant dooming her. _I can't lose Lois._

A struggle began as he attempted to deal with what he had to do. His mind understood the choice; his heart wouldn't let him make it. He couldn't let Lois go. He couldn't let her die. He had sacrificed everything to fulfill his destiny. He had laid aside what he wanted, he had made all the hard choices, and he had put his own family's well being on the line, all in the name of what was right. This was too far. This was Lois. Her life was on the line. Didn't he deserve to be selfish just once in his life?

His thoughts drifted to the attack on Metropolis just days before. So many people had been hurt and killed. He could still hear the echoes of their screams of anguish in his ears. This attack would be so much worse. If he chose to save his wife, the screams, the agony, and the sight of dead faces would haunt him for the rest of his life. He would cease to be the man she married.

But this time it was different. Her anger and pain, as hard as it was to bear, was nothing compared to losing her forever. He couldn't lose her forever. He had to save her. There was no other way.

Making up his mind, he flew out the window and directed his hearing to the beat of his wife's heart. He would find her and he would save her. There was no other choice to make.

_Let me go._

The voice was soft and barely over a whisper, and for a moment he thought he had imagined it. He wanted to hear the voice of his wife, and therefore his mind had fabricated it.

_Smallville, let me go. It's okay to let me go this time. You know what you have to do._

He hadn't imagined it. It was Lois. But how?

"_Clark? Please, Smallville, you've got to hear my voice. You've got to save those people. You can't compromise now. You have to go save them._"

How could he? How could he let Lois die? Nothing in his life made sense without her. How could he survive without her?

"_I know it's hard, baby. You shouldn't have to do this. But the world needs you. The world will need you even after I am gone. I love you. Gawd, do I love you. Be strong. Don't give up now. Hope is not gone yet._"

Hope. Perhaps she was right. There might still be a chance to save her, even after he disarmed the bomb. He couldn't let the fear of losing her stop him from doing the right thing.

"_Hurry, Clark! There isn't much time left. You have to hurry. You have to save them. You're the only one who can._"

Clark scanned the folder in his hands quickly, not bothering to open it, but instead scanning and memorizing the details with his x-ray vision. He closed his eyes and bit back the tears. _I love you, Lois._ Taking one last deep breath, he took off to the skies, towards Metropolis National Park and the ten thousand people unknowingly waiting for their deaths.

* * *

_1:05_

_1:04_

_1:03_

_1:02_

She was going to die. Clark would try to save her, but even he could not fly fast enough. If what Lex had told him was true, in under a minute she would be dead, a sacrifice to save the lives of thousands of others. Was this the choice Lara had spoken of? Was this the ultimate sacrifice, to give up her life to save his? It was a price she would pay gladly, but one that she had never thought she would have to make.

She was afraid. She really was going to die, wasn't she? Death had never really frightened her before. Sure, there had been some close calls over the years, and she had known fear at the time, but it wasn't like this. She had someone to live for now. She had a life, and she was happy. She had something to lose.

Her tears were falling fast, and as her eyes turned to the red digits once more, the tears fell faster. She had so little time left. She had so little time to grieve. Her death would devastate him. His heart would hurt so much. No! She had to get herself free. She couldn't let him suffer like that.

Lois began pulling her hands violently from the handcuffs that held her in place. Her hands were cuffed around a solid steel beam that ran from the floor to the ceiling. As she yanked and pulled, the metal cut gashes into her wrists, making her wince in pain. Still, she fought, knowing there was not much hope of breaking free, yet refusing to give up despite the challenge involved. She had never been one to give up.

"There's an easier way to do that."

Lois stopped her thrashings of her handcuffs at the sound of the voice. She knew that voice. "Mr. Brown? What are you doing here?"

Brandon smiled a wide smile and chuckled. "Why rescuing the damsel in distress, Mrs. Kent. What else?"

"How did you-" She stopped abruptly as her eye caught the timer. "Never mind. Get me out of here!"

Brandon raised an eyebrow in the direction of the timer, pulled out a pistol from his jacket, and fired three shots at the steel beam, piercing the chain that connected her handcuffs. Motioning with his gun to the door, he smirked a "shall we?" and began to run. Lois followed several feet behind him, taking a quick glance back at the timer as she went.

_0:38_

_0:37_

_0:36_

_BOOM!_

A wave of heat hit her, and a searing pain followed. Then all was black.

* * *

_I'll get there in time. I'll get there in time. I'll get there in time._

The wind rushed at his body as he flew towards his destination, his mind barely contemplating where he was going. His focus was directed at a more important source, his wife's heartbeat. He could no longer hear her voice; the force of the wind drowned it out. But he had been listening to her heartbeat for a very long time. He knew it better than the palm of his hand. He heard it in his sleep. He had heard it during his extended stay at the fortress. He could hear it on the other side of the world. A strong wind would not prevent him from listening to the only sound that was keeping him going.

Clark arrived at Metropolis National Park and quickly scanned the area with his vision. He knew where the bomb was planted, but he wanted to make sure there were no surprises. He had already rushed into a Kryptonite filled room once today; he didn't favor doing so again, especially now that his wife's life was at stake.

"It's Superman!" someone in the crowd yelled, and every eye turned to the sky. Clark descended into the very center of the crowd, right next to a life size statue of the former mayor of Metropolis. He gripped the base of the statue with both hands, and began to tear it from the ground.

"He's killing the mayor!" one man shouted. A round of protests and rebuttals followed, only to stop suddenly once the statue was firmly off the ground and the small device under it was revealed. Blind panic followed.

Clark began the sequence described in the folder, being very mindful of the timer on the device. There was under a minute left. He went through each of the steps in sequence, pausing at the last step. It still wasn't too late. The people had been warned and were fleeing the scene. He could still get to Lois in time to stop the bomb. He glanced around quickly, then looked back at the bomb in front of him. The yield was too high. There wasn't enough time left to save everyone. Even he could not clear the area and get to Lois in time to disarm her bomb. This was the only way.

Tears began to fall from his eyes. _I love you, Lois._

_0:38_

_0:37_

_0:36_

Clark flicked the final switch, disarming the bomb, and took off to the skies at full speed. The world slowed to a crawl. In a fraction of a second he had broken the sound barrier, and still his speed increased. He had to get to Lois it time. He had to save her. He had to.

The beat of her heart was frantic, and had been for several seconds. As he sped on, however, it began to slow. In a moment that felt like an eternity yet was closer to a few fractions of a second, her heartbeat stopped.

Pure emotion pushed him forward. _There's still a chance. She's still alive. I can save her._ All of his focus went into his speed. Getting to her was the only thing that mattered. There was nothing else.

He approached the shelter and slowed, his heart sinking in his chest. The bomb had already gone off, and the building was in shambles. There was no way she would have survived the explosion. Still, he pressed on, searching for any sign of her body. He found it just outside the door, covered in debris. Quickly tossing aside the fallen rubble, he pulled her into his arms as the tears streamed down his face. A shaky hand caressed the side of her face, some of which had been burnt off.

"No…sweetheart…"

Her body was scorched from head to foot. The hair on the left side of her face had been singed off, and a quick scan of her insides revealed that the heat had eaten away most of her lungs. She was gone. He was too late to save her.

The tears stopped. All motion stopped. His mind began to shut down. It was too much to handle. His wife was…Lois was…

Thinking made the pain worse. He couldn't think. He couldn't cope. His consciousness retreated further and further into itself, unaware and fully aware at the same time. Denial wasn't possible. He had what was left of his wife in his arms. But acceptance wasn't in the realm of possibility, either. He wasn't prepared for this. She was everything good and pure in his life. She was his strength and his reason for living. And now she was gone.

A familiar presence began to envelop him. The evil began coursing through him, the blues and reds in his suit transforming into a twisted mix of blacks and purples. He didn't fight it. He didn't have the strength to fight it. His strength was gone, lying dead in his arms.

A flash of purple light filled his eyes, and the world around him faded from view.

* * *

A dark smile spread across his new face, and he stood and stretched out his arm, admiring it. Finally! Victory.

Lex Luthor, master of minds, destroyer of worlds, held the fate of yet another world in his hands. He wielded the power of a god. The world was his footstool, and nothing could stand in his way.

Its resolve strengthened. The world was ripe for the taking, and the Entity planned on torturing it out of existence, just as it had Krypton and a hundred worlds before it. The time for true suffering was at hand. The old enemy had been defeated, and the hand of defeat would empower it to crush this insignificant world too dust. Oh, this would be a meal to savor.

* * *

Lucy had never been more afraid in her life. The world was falling apart around her, and she was holed up in the bathroom of Lois and Clark's apartment. Lois would have done something. Even her father would have been out, trying to help. Courage was genetically coded into the Lane bloodline. So why was she huddled up in a corner with all the lights out, afraid for her life?

Not for the first time in the last hour, a wave of guilt hit her. Her sister and brother-in-law had trusted her with an enormous secret, and she had betrayed them. It had seemed like her only option at the time, but now she wasn't so sure. If Clark couldn't find her, was it really plausible that B could? She had let her fear for her sister control her actions, and had made a terrible mistake in the process. What Brandon did with the information was irrelevant. She had betrayed her sister's trust. How could she ever make up for such a mistake?

A distant scream sounded, and Lucy closed her eyes and made herself stand up. She had let her fear control her once. She wouldn't make the same mistake twice. She slowly made her way to the bathroom door, and with a shaky hand she turned the knob and opened it. A flicker of light drew her attention to the window, and her jaw dropped in shock. Her feet brought her closer to the window, until her face was up against it. She was not prepared for what her eyes beheld.

The city was in flames. Many of the surrounding buildings had already been reduced to piles of rubble on the ground. She had been with her father shortly after the attack of four days ago, and the destruction she had seen then didn't even compare to what she was seeing now.

Another scream brought her out of her daze, and swallowing loudly, she turned and headed for the apartment door. She wouldn't allow her fear to control her this time. Somehow, she had to help.

Lucy left the apartment, locked the door behind her, and descended down the steps to the lobby carefully. To her surprise, several hundred people were crammed into the small space, each of them with the same look of fear in their eyes that she knew was in her own.

She continued to the front door, but a hand on her arm stopped her. "You can't go out there! This is the only place that's safe from it."

Lucy turned around to see an older gentleman gripping her arm. She gave him a questioning look. "Safe from what?"

"From…" The man paused for a moment. "Just trust me. It isn't safe. You don't want to go out there."

"If it is safe here, then we need to get as many people as possible inside. I'm not going to stand by and do nothing while people are out there dying. I have to help."

The man shook his head and released his grip on her arm. "Fine! Go be a hero. I warned you, but do you young people ever listen? No! You just go about…" He continued to go on about the troubles of the day's youth, but Lucy simply ignored him and made her way through the crowd to the glass sliding doors.

The destruction looked even worse from the ground. Cars were overturned and on fire. A few cars were lodged partially in the surrounding buildings. Smoke filled the air, partially blocking out the sun and casting an eerie shadow upon the landscape. The streets were deserted, leaving her with the feeling of being the last person on earth. What had happened to Metropolis?

Taking a second look around her, she realized that the older man was right. Every building in the area showed at least some signs of damage. Whether it be fire, broken glass, or scattered debris, each building clearly gave evidence that some type of attack had taken place. But the apartment building behind her had been left completely untouched. In fact, it almost looked like it was being protected.

A hand on her shoulder produced a sudden scream from her, and she turned around with a fright, ready to defend herself.

"Woe there!" the owner of the hand said, both his hands now up in surrender. "I'm not going to hurt you."

Lucy looked the man over quickly. He appeared to be in his early twenties, had light brown hair, cut short and combed to one side, and had one of the most gorgeous smiles she had ever seen. It didn't hold any weight to Brandon's smile, but it was breathtaking none the less. "You can't sneak up on people like that! What are you doing out here?"

"I heard you inside. You're right, we need to get as many people as we can inside."

"We?"

"I'm going to help you. My name is Chase," he said, extending a hand.

"Well Chase," she said, ignoring his hand, "if you want to help me, go back inside and find the apartment manager. Get him to unlock the unused rooms and start filing people in. If I'm able to find more people, we're going to need more room. Now go!"

She turned to leave, but a hand caught her arm. She shook it off and turned around in a fit of anger. "And don't touch me! Got it?"

Chase put his hands up in surrender again. "Fine. Have it your way. I'll go." He turned around in rejection and made his way back to the front door.

Lucy sighed. She had let herself blow up at a cute guy. She must be even more afraid than she thought. Shaking her head, she turned and began to make her way up the street, stopping suddenly when she heard a bone chilling scream. And this time, the scream hadn't come from a distance.

Lucy took off into a run towards the sound of the struggle, rounding a corner and finding a man choking the life out of a young woman. If you could even call the towering figure a man. His skin was a swirling mix of blacks and purples, and it appeared that his mere presence was sucking the light from the area around him. It was horrifying.

Lucy didn't hesitate. She charged at the being, picking up a small metal bar from the ground as she went. When she was near enough, she swung her weapon with all of her might against his arm, hoping to break his hold on the woman's neck. He caught the bar mid swing with one hand, his other hand still firmly attached to the dying woman's neck. With a swing of his arm he sent Lucy flying backwards through the air, landing on the top of a car before rolling over and falling to the ground.

She looked up to catch his completely black eyes for the first time. Seemingly uninterested in the woman in his hands, he dropped her and suddenly appeared above her. "Lucy Lane. Well what a pleasant surprise. I've already killed one Lane today. It's good to see that you are volunteering to join your sister in death." His hand descended to her throat, and he lifted her above his head effortlessly. "I will greatly enjoy choking the life out of you. But let's have a little fun first." An evil smile spread across his menacing face, and he tossed her to the ground again. A stream of purple suddenly shot from his hands, striking her body and filling her with the greatest pain she had ever experienced.

Through her screams and cries, tears fell from her eyes. Though the tears were an involuntary reaction to the pain coursing through her body, her mind cried for her sister. Lois was dead, and some part of her wondered if her actions somehow had something to do with it.

The pain was unbearable. The intensity was such that her mind couldn't take it, and attempted to shut down. But some force kept her from slipping into unconsciousness, making her endure the unendurable.

_Is this the end?_


	16. Hope

**Chapter Fourteen - Hope**

Brandon groaned. His body ached everywhere, and the more his mind cleared, the greater the intensity of the pain became. His face, his arms, his hands, and most of his torso were burning in increasingly excruciating pain. His lungs felt as if they were on fire, and each breath was pure agony. Death would be preferable to this. And judging by the severity of his pain, he should be dead.

In the blink of an eye, all of his pain vanished, giving him a moment of rest. The change was so sudden, it took his mind a few seconds to catch up. _What just happened?_

Death was the first thought that occurred to him, but as he opened his eyes and pulled himself up from the ground, he dismissed that thought as an impossibility. Dead men didn't stand up and walk around.

He took a moment to survey his surroundings, attempting to figure out where he was. Before he had the chance to process what he saw, however, the pain came rushing back in full force, and he collapsed to his knees and screamed in agony.

For a moment, he began to wonder if this was punishment for his misdeeds. He was, after all, a liar, a manipulator, and an investigative reporter. He had ruined his fair share of lives in his quest to uncover the truth and get the scoop. Hell, he had only found and rescued Lucy's sister in an effort to get the rest of the story on Clark Kent, the enigma of enigmas. Exposing him to the world was the story of a lifetime, and it could just earn him yet another Pulitzer. Three Pulitzers in five years…not a bad start to his career.

The pain faded once again, and he dismissed the thoughts of punishment being the reason behind it. This was something else, something unnatural. As he opened his eyes, a dark glow caught his attention, and somehow he instinctively knew that the glow was the source of his pain. He made his way towards the glow, gasping when he realized what it was coming from. It was a woman. And not just any woman. Lois Kent.

Her body was blistered and charred, and had he not recognized what was left of the clothing she wore, he wouldn't have recognized her. She was clearly dead. No one could survive burning to such a degree. And if she had survived, she would have been cursed to live out her life horribly disfigured. Burning of such a degree would not heal without leaving considerable scarring.

For a moment, Brandon felt a twinge of regret. Lois was Lucy's sister, and Lucy had done him some incredible favors in the past. She had even saved his life once or twice. He owed her a lot, and he wished that he had somehow been able to prevent this.

But as the pain returned once again, all signs of regret left him, replaced by chaos and confusion. What was happening to him? How could a dead woman cause him so much pain?

Brandon once again fell to his knees, and he fell forward, his hands breaking his fall and coming to rest on the woman's arm. The moment his hands touched her, a bright gold glow began to emanate from them and the pain slowly began to fade. His eyes watched in awestruck shock as the burns and cuts on her body began to heal. Even the hair on her head began to grow back. How was such a thing possible? How could the mere presence of his hands heal the body of a dead woman? It made no sense at all.

When he finally realized what was happening, it was too late. He removed his hands and stepped away, looking over his hands and arms in horror. All the burns and cuts that had once covered Lois' body now covered his. The pain was gone, but the damage to his body that had replaced it wasn't worth the relief. _What is happening to me?_

He heard a gasp of air, and looked down to see Lois sit up with a start, fully alive and perfectly healthy. The way he should have been. Anger filled him, but he didn't act upon it. He couldn't allow anyone to see him like this.

Brandon turned away and ran, not really knowing where he was going, only knowing he had to get away. As he left, he heard Lois utter three words in a voice of panic.

"Oh no! Lucy!"

* * *

A scream of pain brought the shrouds from Clark's mind, and he began to pick himself up off the ground. His first thought was of Lois. His heart was still broken and bleeding, but despite the pain inside, he could not let anyone suffer. He had to help. It was who he was.

He stood and glanced around the room quickly. He was in a doorless, unadorned, and unfurnished white room, with one full sized window framing the front wall. The scenery outside the window was that of the city, though it appeared to be moving.

Movement from the corner of his eye caught his attention, and he turned to see Lex appear in a flash of purple light, an evil smirk on his face. "Enjoying the show?"

The scream echoed throughout the room again, and Clark turned to see Lucy out the window, a stream of purple hitting her body from an unknown source. She was in incredible pain, and it showed. He had to help her. But how? Was the image he was seeing even real? The room wasn't moving, yet the view in the window was.

The memory of something Lex had said earlier came to his mind. "_I am Lex Luthor! Master of minds. Destroyer of worlds._" He wasn't the first person to utter those words. Clark began searching his mind, attempting to discover why the words were so familiar. A lesson from his training at the fortress came to him, and the pieces of the puzzle all fell into place. His mind was not his own, and the only way to help Lucy was to take it back.

Clark bit back the pain in his heart and rushed to the window, smashing his fist into the glass and shattering it instantly. Lex responded quickly, grabbing him and sending him flying across the room, and the battle for his mind officially began.

* * *

_Oh God, please just let me die._

It was too much. The pain was unbearable, yet Lucy's mind was forced to bear it. The pain had become too intense to cry, and her voice was nearly gone from constant screaming and from the pressure that had been applied to her throat in what seemed like an eternity ago. She had no outlet to release the pain. If only he would just kill her and be done with it.

The pain stopped suddenly, and tears were finally able to form in her eyes. She lay there, sobbing silently, not having the strength to move and not having the courage to look up at her attacker. She was helpless, broken. She couldn't fight; she didn't have the will to live.

A fog descended upon her, and she smiled beneath her tears. Peace was coming. Unconsciousness would be a welcome relief.

Her body rolled to her back, giving her a clear view of the monster that had attacked her. It was on its knees, gripping its head. Flashes of red and blue replaced the twisted cohesion of purples and blacks, only to revert back to the original form. A yellow shielded crest appeared on its chest, only to fade a moment later. Her eyes widened in horror. Clark was the Phantom? Clark had done this to her?

Her mind wasn't given any more time to process the events. Her vision blurred, and the world faded from view. At last. Peace.

* * *

Anger and hatred filled Lex. Lois was dead, and the connection between her and Kal-El had been severed, and yet still he fought, still he kept his heart pure. Jor-El had truly brought forth a unique son. Perhaps there was some truth to the hand of destiny after all. No matter. Now was the time to strike, ending the power of the old enemy and his offspring once and for all. He needed to attack Kal-El's will. If he defeated him here, the purity of his heart would not matter. Lex would remain in control, and Kal-El would remain in broken submission. Then he would finally have the control to torture and murder every last man, woman, and child on the planet. He would kill everyone. Except one.

A small amount of pain gripped him, and Lex closed his eyes and shook his head, clearing Chloe from his thoughts. She could not grace his thoughts now. Everything depended on the outcome of this fight; he could not afford to let anything weaken him. It would take most of his strength to beat Kal-El, and losing was not an option.

Lex stepped forward, towards his target. Not leaving him the opportunity to get up, Lex kicked him hard in the stomach, then let loose a hard right punch to the face, sending him to the ground. Grabbing him by his shirt, he tossed him up in the air, smashing him into the ceiling, and then on his way down he forced his body down hard across his knee.

Clark's body rolled to the side, and Lex smiled with pleasure at seeing blood in his mouth and a look of pain on his face. And he was just getting started.

Lex sent another round house kick in the direction of his stomach, but this time his attacked was blocked with a set of hands. The hands quickly closed around his leg, and a moment later Lex found himself spinning and then being hurled towards the wall at high speed. His body impacted hard, denting the wall, and Lex pulled himself up and dusted himself off, willing himself to hide his pain from showing outwardly. He smiled and shook his head, playing the act for all it was worth.

"You can't win. I am in control here, Kal-El. You have lost already." To emphasize his point, he charged and grabbed Clark, sending him flying across the room and into a wall. Kal-El couldn't win this fight. Lex had collected knowledge spanning thirty-one galaxies. He understood things that Kal-El could only imagine. He had access to tactics that Kal-El could not even comprehend. He was Lex Luthor. Master of minds. Destroyer of worlds. Nothing could stand in his way.

The battle between them raged on, momentum swing back and forth between each side, though residing with Lex far more frequently. Lex had the advantage. He knew how to mask his injuries, to make it appear as if Kal-El's attacks were having no effect. The strength of both men was quickly dwindling away; Clark was the only one that was showing it outwardly.

Lex landed a final blow to Clark's head, sending him to the ground. He attempted to push himself up, but faltered, falling into unconsciousness. Lex smiled. Without Lois, he was no match for Lex Luthor.

Lex turned to the window and waved his hand across it, and the shattered glass came up from the floor and reformed, showing no signs that it had ever been damaged. Now to finish what he had started before. He had only just begun to bring forth suffering from Lucy. There was so much more he could do to her, and he was going to enjoy every minute of it.

"Don't you dare touch my sister again."

Impossible. She was dead. He had seen her lifeless body himself. He had watched the explosion that took her life. She couldn't possibly be here, in Clark's mind. He had taken care of her. She was an eliminated variable. He had considered everything.

A strong fist to his face proved otherwise.

Attack after attack came, and nothing Lex tried stopped them. Lois continued her assault, and his defenses went down, revealing the damage that was being done. Lex managed to block one attack, and countered with a strong right. He might have had better luck punching a steel wall.

In an instant, he realized his mistake. He was not in her mind. Nothing he would do could hurt her. But that was obviously not the case for her.

Her attacks continued, weakening him further and further with each blow. "Get out of my husbands mind, you bastard, or I will kill you right now."

Her fist formed for a final blow, and Lex realized that he only had one choice left. He had to retreat back to his own body. This was not a battle he could win.

Her fist came down hard, and Lex made his choice. He vanished from her grasp and returned his mind to his body. A flash of darkness came as it always did when he made the transition, and when the darkness cleared, he was looking up with his own eyes. Into the last sight he expected to see. There, hovering over him, eyes full of tears, was Chloe.

_Oh crap._

* * *

"_Wake up!_"

His head was pounding. Clark had endured few headaches in his twenty-one odd years of life, but the one that he had now was one for the ages. His brain felt like an orange, being pressed and crushed in an orange squeezer. It felt like a piñata after several rounds with a bat. It felt like he was getting acupuncture with kryptonite laced needles. It hurt. It hurt to think. It hurt to open his eyes. It hurt to close them. The slightest sound doubled the pounding in his head, and the fact that he could hear almost anything didn't help matters in the slightest.

"_Smallville, wake up right now!_"

Clark grimaced for a moment as the voice rang out in his head. But only for a moment. He knew that voice. His heart jumped in his chest. Could it really be true?

"Lois?"

"_Yes, Smallville. I'm alive. I'm happy about it too. But if you don't get up off your ass right now and help Lucy I'll come down there and kick it to the ends of the earth. Get up, now, mister!_"

A flood of emotions hit him. Thankfulness. Love. Pure and utter joy. And as was often the case with his wife, annoyance. Sometimes that woman was just unbearable. And he wouldn't trade that for anything.

Clark opened his eyes and put his pain aside. Lois was right. He needed to get back up. He needed to continue to fight Lex. He had to fight. It was the only way to save her.

He stood up and looked around, surprised at what he saw. The white room was gone. He was in the city, just a few blocks from his apartment. What happened?

"_Smallville! Lucy._"

Clark scanned the area quickly, and spotted Lucy lying unconscious on the ground, looking rather worse for wear. He hurried to her and scooped her up in his arms protectively, and then took off to the skies. He didn't know what was wrong with her or what it had done to her, but he wasn't going to take any chances. He needed to get her to a hospital, and quickly.

As he flew, his eyes were made to witness shock after shock after shock. The city was in shambles. He had seen first hand the destruction that Saturday night's bombing had produced, but what he was seeing now made the bombing seem like a backyard fire. Entire buildings had been leveled. The streets were chaos, and the sounds of whispered prayers, frightened children, and grieving parents and lovers filled his ears.

"_Oh my gawd, Smallville…all those people. What has he done?_"

Clark reached the hospital. Or what was left of it. Nearly the entire structure had been leveled to the ground. And unlike the half hazard nature of the rest of the destruction, this seemed to be intentional. Someone had made sure to destroy anything that could be used to help the wounded. Doctors, nurses…they were all dead.

Clark flew on, visiting the seven other hospitals in the city. Each one had met a similar fate. Not knowing what else to do, he took off towards Smallville, dropping Lucy off at the Smallville Medical Center. Leaving her in their capable hands, he took off back to the city. There were still more people that needed saving, and he couldn't stop until he had saved every last one of them.

* * *

Chloe never thought her day would turn out like this. Her life had been so good. She had finally begun to come to grips with what had happened to her, she had found a new reason to be joyful in Lily, and Lex had told her he loved her, something she had never thought would happen. And now that same man was on the floor unconscious, and there was nothing she could do to help him. She couldn't lose him. She just couldn't. She loved him more than she had ever loved anyone or anything else. If he had asked her to marry him, she would have said yes without a moment's hesitation, but she was completely content where they had been, as boyfriend and girlfriend.

Chloe held Lex's hand tightly to her chest, her tears wetting her face and dropping to his shirt. Lily was beside her, hugging her and whimpering slightly. Her presence gave her some comfort, but not enough to calm the raging fear in her heart. What if she lost him?

Chloe heard a groan and saw his eyes open slowly, and her heart jumped. _Oh thank God._ She leaned down and pressed a joyful kiss on his lips, and Lex returned it a moment later. He deepened the kiss, and she closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment. There was passion in his lips, yes, but most prevalent of all was his love. He loved her, and feeling him show her was the most thrilling feeling in the world. This is what she wanted. Not just to feel loved, but to feel loved by Lex. This was heaven (and much more so than coffee flavored ice cream).

His strong arms reached around her, pulling her closer to him, and she reveled in his touch. This was the way it should be. Chloe and Lex. And Lily. _Oops._

Chloe withdrew the kiss slowly, giving him a butterfly kiss and a soft smile. He reacted in kind for a moment, before suddenly pushing her off of him and scrambling to his feet. Chloe stayed on her back for a moment, her shock evident on her face. What had just happened?

She turned and got up, and Lily's hand drifted into her own. "Lex? What are you doing?" She took a step towards him, and he took two steps back in response.

"Go away. I don't want you here," he said, his hand outstretched in order to keep her from him.

Chloe clenched Lily's hand tighter for support and took another step towards him. Had he said what she thought he said?

"Stay away."

She took another step, her concern overwhelming her. He didn't look well. Was he hurt? Was he ill?

"What's wrong, Lex?"

Lex moved so suddenly, she didn't have time to react. He charged her, grabbed Lily with one arm, and backed away again. Backing up all the way to the wall, he held his arm up to her neck. "Don't come any closer, or I'll hurt her."

"Lex?" Something was wrong. What was he doing? Why had he grabbed Lily? "Let her go, Lex. You're scaring her." She took another step towards him, and he tightened his grip on Lily slightly. Instinct pushed her forward. "Lex…don't hurt her. I love her. I was hoping you would love her too. We can talk about this. I can help you with whatever is wrong. But you have to let her go. Lex…let her go." She took four more steps as she talked, bringing her within four feet of him. His grip on her loosened slightly, and Chloe could tell he was in pain.

"Please…" he begged, "you're killing me."

Her heart went out to him. Something was wrong with him. He wasn't himself. Her presence seemed to be causing him intense pain, but something in her heart wouldn't let herself back away. Somehow she knew that what he needed was not distance from her, but closeness. He needed her near him.

Chloe closed the remaining distance between them quickly, pulling Lily from his grasp. He did not put up a fight, but simply released his hold on her and let her find comfort in Chloe's arms. He clenched his chest in obvious pain, and slid down the wall to the floor. Chloe knelt beside him and took his hand, kissing it softly. She smiled the smile she saved only for him and said the words she knew he needed to hear.

"I love you, Lex, with all my heart. I'm here, with you. I'll always be here."

* * *

The three words he had longed to hear echoed in his ears, bringing joy and pain with them. Chloe loved him. Him! It was more incredible than anything he could have ever imagined. How could he possibly be so lucky?

He gasped raspily as the pain in his chest spread through out his whole body. He couldn't breath. He could feel the life draining from him. Why was she here? Why did she linger? Didn't she know what she was doing to him?

His pain intensified, focalizing in the center of his body. She kissed him on the hand once more, and he screamed in agony. It felt like he was being pulled in two. A moment later, he realized that that indeed was just what was happening. _Chloe!_

Her hand continued to grip his tightly, her voice now shouting to him, but he couldn't understand the words. The very fragments of his mind were being ripped apart and seamed back together, and the definition of who he was began to blur. He began to sense another presence gnawing and pulling at him, and his mind slowly began to be pulled from the surface.

"It's taking over…Chloe…run…won't be safe…"

"I'm not leaving you," she said with a squeeze of his hand, kissing it once more before releasing it and taking a step back. "I love you."

No. She didn't understand. She had to go. It wasn't safe. It would hurt her. It would hurt her and the beautiful young child at her side. Lily. He had seen her before, with Lois. If Chloe loved her, he had to protect her with his life. He had to protect them both.

The separation completed, and control was pulled from him as the world warped in on him from all sides, making his head spin. When everything settled, he found himself in an all to familiar place. A white room, with a single window. This was not good.

A purple light flashed in front of him, and he was brought face to face with his alter ego. "Hello, Lex. Now you will see them suffer, and suffer like no one has before. I'm sure you will enjoy the show."

No. Chloe!


	17. Stratagem

**Chapter Fifteen - Stratagem**

"Hi Lucy. It's me, your big sis. You hold in there for me, okay?"

Lois sighed and closed her eyes, pulling Lucy's free hand into the two of hers and gripping it tightly and lovingly. Her other hand was hooked up to an IV, and that and the tubes in her nose were further reminders of just how bad her sister's condition was.

"I love you, Luce. I know I don't always say it, but we both know that that doesn't mean I don't mean it. I'm my father's daughter, same as you." She pulled her sister's hand up to her mouth and kissed it, and a stray tear fell to her sister's arm.

"I saw Mom. I know, it's crazy, but I did. And I'll tell you all about it when you get better. You just worry about getting better. You've got to fight this. Who else will keep Daddy's spirits up? You know I can't. He wouldn't be the same without you. He still needs you, Lucy. And so do I."

A rattle from the window drew her attention, and she turned to see the doctor pointing at his wrist, which lacked any sign of a watch. She nodded and leaned down to kiss her sister on her forehead.

"I've got to go now, Luce. You hold in there for me, okay? The doctors will get you all fixed up." Placing one last kiss on her hand, she let it go and got up, returning to the door and closing it behind her.

"Is she going to be okay?" she asked the doctor as she took a glance back into her sister's hospital room.

"Your sister has been through some serious trauma. I'm afraid there is nothing we can do but wait. And pray."

"But what are her chances?"

"Right now her body is keeping her alive on its own, but if her condition continues to worsen, she will slip into a coma, and after that there is no telling if she will ever wake up."

"She'll stabilize. She's a fighter. She always has been."

The doctor nodded and faked a smile. "I hope so. Enough people have been lost today."

* * *

The tears wouldn't stop. How could his best friend have done this? Clark was trying and had been trying to save as many people as he could for the past hour, but the problem was there just weren't that many people to save. Everyone was already dead. The destruction, the loss of life was unlike anything he had ever seen or could even have imagined. Thousands upon thousands were dead. He was more like a morgue attendant than a hero. There were far more bodies to bury than there were to pull from the rubble and attempt to save. And it ate at him. All those people…

It was all his fault. Without his power, the Destroyer would not have been able to kill so many. It could not have left the city in ruins, or taken the life of so many good people. The prophecy had been right. He was a conqueror.

"_Don't you dare, Clark. Don't you dare. This isn't your fault._"

How could she say that? Had she seen what he had done? Hadn't she seen the destruction, the suffering, the death? Hadn't she seen what he had done to Lucy?

"_My gawd, Lucy…_"

It was too much. She was breaking. Her heart was torn, shattered. And it was his doing. He had killed her once, and now he was killing her all over again. It would have been better had he died in the explosion that had killed the rest of his people. It would have better that he never have been born than that he cause a small fraction of pain in his wife. And the pain he was causing in her right now…

"_Stop, Clark. Please. I can't bear losing you too. You have to fight this, like my sister is fighting now. She won't give up. I know her. And you can't give up either. This isn't your fault. We'd be lost without you, Smallville. I know what it is. If you weren't here, we'd all be dead already. You can't give in. You can't give up. I…I couldn't bear it. You have to keep trying. You have to keep saving as many as you can. It's who you really are._"

Yes, he needed to save as many as he could. It was the only way to make up for the pain he had caused. It was the only way to redeem himself. _Your heart for people is your greatest strength._ The words of his Kryptonian mother echoed in his mind. This is what he had to do. This was his part in the fight. He would fly, and he would save as many as he could. It was the only thing he could do.

"_Go. You have to save as many as you can. I'll take care of that sonofabitch myself._"

* * *

Chloe kissed Lily lightly on her forehead, thankful that she was finally asleep. It was much easier to keep her calm when she was asleep. And it allowed her the time to think, though she wasn't yet sure whether that was a good or bad thing.

Lex held them hostage. Lex! It made no sense at all. His behavior earlier had been strange, but this was completely out of character. She knew him. He would never hurt her. He didn't have the capability to do so. It wasn't in his nature. Yet here she was, locked in his room. In other circumstances she would have welcomed such a situation, but she doubted Lex's plans for her included anything along those lines. If the man in the other room was even Lex. What had he said right before the sudden change of character? _It's taking over_. Something else was in his head, controlling him. Whatever was keeping them hostage, it wasn't Lex.

She had to find a way to reach him. He would never let anything happen to her. If she knew anything, she knew that. If there was even a minuscule chance to protect her, he would pay any cost to take advantage of it. Sometimes that thought scared her, for a willing-to-do-anything Lex Luthor was about the scariest thing she could imagine. But at this moment, she was counting on it. For that part of his character was her best chance to bring him back.

Now all she needed was a plan.

* * *

Pacing was a new experience for the Entity. Perhaps it took being in a dire situation to truly appreciate the small comfort that pacing brought. And at a time like this, any small comfort was necessary. Everything had gone wrong. Everything was wrong. It hadn't considered failure. It never failed. It had consumed galaxies, worlds beyond measure. How could one insignificant world so wretchedly wound the destroyer of worlds? How could one man put up so much fight?

But this wasn't just a man. This was Kal-El. Son of Jor-El, the great enemy, the one man that had nearly ended its existence forever. Should it be surprised that his son would cause nearly as much damage?

It couldn't end here. There had to still be a way to victory. Kal-El could not be allowed to win. But the obstacles seemed insurmountable. He had the power. His wife was a god, able to overcome even death. A new connection, stronger than the first, was connecting them together. As a unit, they were unstoppable. A conflict of wills would surely end in defeat. Yet it could not win a direct assault either. Its well of power had been tapped, and the good that Kal-El was doing at that very moment prevented any attempt at a recharge. The Lois had unknown power, and taking her on was too great of a risk. What course was then left to it?

"_Chloe is the key._"

But how? How could a simple girl allow victory over such a great foe?

"_They love her. You cannot fight what you do not understand._"

Understand love? The thought itself brought forth pain. It could never understand love, for its very nature was against it. Love was the unknowable vice, for to understand it was to issue in its own demise.

"_I have known it. I understand it. I can fight it for you. Together, we can take this world as our own, and issue in an era of suffering that has never been seen since the dawn of time._"

Yes. The Entity and Lex. Ruler of Earth. Overseer of suffering and destruction. This world offered the opportunity for an eternity of feeding. It had been foolish to attempt to take it all so quickly. They would defeat the old enemy once and for all, and then reign supreme forever. Nothing would stop them this time.

* * *

A shiver coursed through Lois as she was reminded of the last time she was here. Lex. The end of a tranquilizer gun. A quick darkness. It wasn't a pleasant memory. And the events that followed once she had awoken hadn't been much better. She had, after all, ended up dead, and only her mother's intervention had brought her back.

Her mind briefly wandered back to those few moments between breaths. When she had seen the flames begin to envelop her and felt the heat start to consume her, she had thought that was it. Lily, Chloe, Lucy…Clark. She was losing them all. A tear had fallen, only to be quickly consumed by the heat. And then there was peace. A bright light. Then a voice she had not heard for a very long time.

"Hello, my little Lo'."

At first she thought she had imagined it. But then the intensity of the light faded, and she saw her face to face.

"Momma?"

Her mother smiled the smile she had always saved only for her and took her into her arms, and once again a tear had escaped from her.

"Oh, Momma, I've missed you so much."

"I know, darling. I have missed you too. I'm so very proud of who you have become. I could not have asked for a better daughter."

Her smile was bright, alive…different from the sickly yet brave smile she had given her growing up. Here her mother was happy, safe. And in her mother's arms again, that was exactly how she felt: happy, safe.

"It's not your time yet, Lois. You have a man down there that still desperately needs your help. The world is on his shoulders, and he faces an enemy he cannot defeat alone. He needs you now more than ever."

Her heart had skipped in her chest at her mother's words. She was being sent back to Clark! And yet…

"I don't want to lose you again."

Her mother smiled sadly, then kissed her right and then her left cheek, just like she had always done when she was alive.

"I know, but you will see me again. And I will always be with you…here, in your heart. I love you."

"I love you too, Momma."

The light had faded, a sudden feeling of weightlessness had overwhelmed her, and a moment later she awoke with a deep breath and a start. Her mother had sent her back…to Clark. To help him. To save him. And that is what she intended to do, even if it killed her…again.

Lois stepped further into the Kawachi caves, her nerves settling for a moment. She had been unprepared for her last encounter with the Destroyer. She wouldn't make the same mistake twice.

She approached the ancient console and activated the sequence that opened the inner cave chamber, closing it behind her and approaching the inner table. She inserted the octagonal key into its slot, and a colorful light show later, she was outside the frozen ice castle that represented all that remained of Kryptonian architecture.

The cold wind hit her hard, reminding her once again of her husband's completely random spurt of football glory three and a half years ago. That brought a smile to her face. He was so odd sometimes, and she loved him for it, even if his oddity would forever cause her extra and unneeded distress each time she made the trip to the fortress. This time, however, the wind did not bother her quite as much. Each shiver brought to her mind the man that would always be a strange farm hick from Kansas…but he was her strange farm hick. She wouldn't have it any other way.

Lois made it to the shelter of the fortress without incident, and then made her way to her bedroom to warm up, her thoughts turning to what she had to do now.

"_Lois Lane._"

"Kent. It's Kent now. Get it right, or don't say it at all." She shook her head and sighed. Jor-El was the last person she had wanted to talk to. She didn't need his advice. She knew what she needed to do, and she was prepared to do it. The Riddler's rantings wouldn't help anyone.

"_Ah…human customs. I had forgotten. Very well, Lois Kent it shall be. Why have you come?_"

"To finish this, once and for all. The Destroyer has taken too many lives already, and I am going to stop him."

"_You know of the old enemy? How?_"

"Are you going to give me the twenty questions, or are you going to let me save the world?"

"_I…_" He paused.

Lois rolled her eyes. "Look, I know what I'm doing, and I know what I need to do. I'm here for the water crystal and the ring, and I don't have time to mess around. If you'll simply give them to me, I can be on my way."

"_What you plan is not the wisest course of action. You will need to get close; very close. It is far too-_"

"Do you have a better idea?!" She waited for several moments, and then continued. "I thought not. This is the only way to end this permanently. The Phantom Zone is the only place the Destroyer can be contained."

"_We tried once before and met with failure._"

"I won't make the same mistake you did. I know what I am doing. It is not going to destroy Earth like it destroyed Krypton. I'm going to make sure of it. Now are you going to help me or not?"

"_If it manages to-_"

"I know, damn it! I know. Would you quit it with the pointless lecturing and give me what I need? Every second I waste here with you only reduces the chances of success. I don't have time for your pointless arguing."

"_Very well._"

Lois rolled her eyes again and muttered under her breath, "It's about time," then left her room and went to the main console. A black crystal rose from the console, followed be a large silver ring, and she snatched each one and put them in her purse. It was time to go.

"_Lois Kent._"

Lois paused and sighed as she approached the teleporter. "What?"

"_Good luck._"

She smiled. "Thanks." _I'm going to need it._

* * *

_Strength._

Chloe sighed and gently began to stroke her forehead. _You say you need a plan, Sullivan, and all you can come up with is this? Get your act together, girl!_ She chuckled softly at her own inner dialog, and then retreated into a reflective smile. It was amazing that even in a time like this, she could still find something to smile about. Everything was acting against her, and the odds of anything improving were astronomically not in her favor. Hell, she had spent the last hour trying to come up with a plan to reach Lex, and all she had been able to come up with was the word strength. Strength! Lex needed her strength. She needed to give him strength. That was her plan. That wasn't a plan. That was barely an idea. Yet despite all her best efforts, nothing else came to her mind.

A creak from the door broke her from her thoughts, and she turned to see Lex…or what passed for Lex these days…come in, a pistol in hand. He scanned her from head to toe, and then back up to her head, his eyes coming to rest on her neckline. A glint of lust was in his eyes. A familiar glint.

"Hello there, pretty thing. You and I are going to have a little talk."

She shivered, and fear gripped her. She knew that glint, that smile, that tone of voice. It was him. He was back. _It can't be._

Chloe closed her eyes and began whispering silently to herself, unknowingly taking a step back. _It's just a dream. It's not real. He's not real._ The images began playing themselves again, over and over in her mind. His wicked smile. The way he touched her, hit her, and tried to violate her, it all being just a game to him. She was a worthless toy, a thing to be used and played with. It couldn't be happening. He couldn't be back…and in Lex.

"You are going to call up your troublesome cousin and ask her to bring her new husband and meet you here, or some very bad things are going to happen to you. Do I make myself perfectly clear?"

It was Lex's voice, but the tone, the smile was unmistakable. It was him.

"Well?!"

Her mind refused to think, refused to process. She was helpless. He would come, and he would take her, and there was nothing she could do to stop him. Resistance was useless; he would have his way with her whether she resisted or not. She wasn't strong enough to go through this again.

Anger flashed in his eyes, and he lifted his hand up to hit her with the butt of his gun. _Oh God, please let him knock me unconscious._ She closed her eyes and waited for the blow to come. But it never did.

Chloe opened her eyes and looked up to see Lex frozen in place, his arm still up over his head. A moment later he nodded, as if in agreement with something or someone, and lowered his arm. Resolve formed in his eyes, and he placed her cell phone in her hand, took a step to the side, and aimed the pistol at Lily's sleeping form.

"Call her. Now."

_Lily!_ It wasn't just about her. She could not give up. She could not lose it. Lily was depending on her. She could not allow him to touch her or hurt her in any way, even if it meant she had to sacrifice herself to do so.

"Call her!"

Chloe looked at the cell phone in her hand, and then back up at Lex in confusion. What was he talking about?

"Call who?"

"Call your cousin and get her and her husband to meet you here."

Lily's life was at stake, but could she betray Lois and Clark in order to protect her? How could she possibly make the choice? She couldn't give up her cousin into the hands of this monster, but neither could she let Lily get hurt. What should she do?

_Call her._ She shook that thought from her mind. No, she could not betray her cousin. She would not do that to Lois. _It'll be okay. Call her._ No! She would not do it. She had to act, had to get the gun away from him. _I love you, Chloe. Trust me. Call her._

Her eyes began to rise wide in surprise, but she quickly contained it. She didn't know what Lex was up to, or how he was communicating with her, but she would not betray his trust. Putting up a front of fear, she turned the phone to face her and began dialing the number.

"Please don't hurt her. I'll do it."

"Good. That's more like it."

She put the phone up to her ear, and heard one, two, three rings.

"Hello?"

She resisted the urge to take a deep breath. This was it. She sure hoped Lex knew what he was doing.

"Hi Lois. Listen, I need you and Clark to meet me at Lex's penthouse in Metropolis. It's important."

"Chloe, have you seen the state of the world lately? The world needs Clark right now."

"It's about Lily."

"We'll be right there, cuz."

"Thank you."

"Is Lex there?"

The moment of truth…or more accurately, of lies. Could she really lie to Lois?

"No. It's just me and Lily. Please hurry."

"Okay, Chloe, hang in there for us. We'll be right there."

The line went dead. She turned to Lex.

"It's done."

He smiled wickedly. "Good."

* * *

Clark gazed up at the towering building in awe. Every time he came here, despite his familiarity with it, the sheer scope of it took him back. Boasting one hundred and twenty stories and standing at one thousand nine hundred and eighty feet, it was the world's tallest building, surpassing the Taipei 101 tower in Taiwan by over three hundred feet. The LuthorCorp Tower towered over Metropolis, and could be seen from nearly anywhere in the city, as well as several miles outside it. It was ironic that the very thing that stood as a beacon of hope for the city would be where the last stand against the greatest threat the world had ever known would take place.

Clark felt a hand drift into his own, and he cast a loving glance at his beautiful wife. She gave him a quick smile, and then took a look up at the tower herself. "He never does anything small, does he, Smallville."

"Lois, are you sure that Lex is here with Chloe?"

"Yes, I'm sure. Chloe doesn't lie to me well. He's here."

"And you have everything you need?"

Though she really didn't need to, Lois opened up her purse one more time and confirmed that the two objects were still there. "Oh no! The ring is missing!"

"What? You lost it?"

The smirk trying to hide behind a look of worry was the only answer he needed. "Lois, that wasn't funny. This is serious."

"I don't know. I thought it was pretty funny. You should have seen your face."

Despite his intense level of annoyance, Clark had to smile at that. Shaking his head, he took the first step into LuthorCorp Tower, with Lois in tow behind him. "Just keep that crystal away from me. I don't want to touch it."

"It's just a crystal, Smallville. There's nothing to worry about."

"The last time we both touched a crystal like that, we both ended up dead."

"Oh yeah, I had forgotten about that. Hey, what was up with that anyway? I thought it was a transference crystal, not a killer heart melding crystal. Why did we both end up dead? And why didn't I see my mother that time too? Hhmm…perhaps I wasn't dead long enough. Maybe there's some metaphysical time limit that you have to pass before you see long lost loved ones. Or maybe that was just a one time thing to get passed the whole being burnt to a crisp thing. Who makes those rules anyway? Is there some high ranking general up there that gets to tell my Mom, hey, the fate of the world is in your daughter's hands, and they aren't looking to well right about now? Go down there and bring her back from the dead. And if that's the case, what's the scale of shit the world has to be in to qualify for a resurrection? Does there have to be some dark planet eating entity prowling around for that kind of thing to be done, or are a few nuclear missiles enough to rattle that cage? But I guess the scale would have to be pretty high, otherwise people would be jumping out of their graves all the time. When is the world not in utter peril? I mean-"

"Lois."

"What?"

"Scared, huh?"

"Oh, shitless."

"Yep, me too."

They arrived at the elevator, and both took a deep breath as they waited for the door to open.

_Five minutes later._

"Clark, did you press the button?"

"Oh. Oops."

Click. DING!

"Huh…it was waiting for us the whole time."

Lois rolled her eyes. "120 floors…what are the odds?"

"One hundred and twenty to one against. Lower if you consider the traffic the first floor gets. Higher if you factor in the-"

"Smallville."

"What?"

"Shut up and get in. Let's get this over with."

Clark shook his head and went in. "I can't believe the fate of the world is in our hands."

* * *

Chloe shivered. The way that he looked at her...each time she had to quietly remind herself that it wasn't Lex that was looking at her, but instead whatever entity had possessed and was controlling Lex. Not for the first time, she briefly questioned her own sanity, but quickly dismissed that train of thought. It wasn't wise to think about the sanity of such things as possession, voices in her head, or men that could fly. That was simply the order of a world with Clark Kent in it. The only reason the rest of the world didn't believe was because they hadn't seen the things she had seen. If they had, they would be just as "crazy" as she was.

Glancing over to the closed door to the bedroom, she said a silent prayer of thankfulness that whatever forces controlled the world had kept Lily asleep and out of harms way. The young girl had been through enough. Chloe didn't want to think about what having a gun pointed to her head would do to her...and it was hard enough for Chloe to cope with her own life being in danger, much less hers and Lily's.

"Not a word until they get here. Do you understand?"

Chloe shivered from the malevolence in his voice, and nodded submissively.

"One word, and you are dead. And the little girl will be next...after I've had some fun." He closed his eyes for a moment, then tightened the grip on his gun, pushing the end of it a little harder to her head. "They are almost here."

* * *

This was it. The moment of victory was almost in its grasp. If Lex's plan worked, soon the world would be its footstool, and life would be its for the taking. First, it would betray trust, ruin families, bring suffering. Then father would turn against the child, friend against friend, and lover against lover. When it was over, over half the world would be dead, and the other half would find itself in despair, grief, and guilt. Then it would feed on the pain, suffering, and anguish over deeds done, until its power was recharged. Then the final crescendo, several billion voices crying out as the heat of the elements consumed them. The planet would explode, and this magnum opus would be complete. The echo of that final cry of pain would reverberate for years, centuries, perhaps millennium. And then a new planet would be found, and the symphony would begin again.

All of that, however, rested on the outcome of the next few moments. Kal-El and his Lois had to be defeated. The house of El must face its final defeat. For centuries they had worked against its plans, saving worlds, thwarting destruction. Weakening it. Jor-El had very nearly managed to eliminate it once and for all. In the end, however, even Krypton, the pinnacle of achievement and enlightenment in the universe, had been open to attack, and the Entity had worked its magic. And with the last son of El out of the way, it would be free to do so again...unhindered for all of eternity. The next few moments would be moments to cherish.

* * *

Clark stepped into the room hesitantly, ready to act. He had scanned the room before entering with his X-Ray vision, but somehow his attempts had been blocked. It wasn't lead...it was something else, like the very act of using his vision was being prevented, not that he couldn't see through the walls. Something was not quite right.

A familiar feeling eked into his veins. Kryptonite. It was tolerable; he didn't immediately fall to the floor in agony, but he did notice a discomfort. Looking around the room, he instantly understood why. Small pebbles of the green rock had been embedded into the walls, the floor, and the ceiling. The grains were so small as to be barely discernible by the human eye, but Clark's natural reaction to them aroused his awareness.

"Like what I've done with the place, Kal-El? You'll find your powers essentially useless in here, so don't try anything. And I'm afraid I'm in a terrible state of nervousness...even a small distraction might cause my finger to slip, and I would so hate to see your friend's brains splattered all across the floor. I just had my maids clean it, and do you know how hard it is to get brains out of carpet? Terribly hard, I'll tell you. Terribly hard."

Clark's hands tightened into fists as the anger began to fill him. The Destroyer needed to be taken care of, once and for all.

"Please, please, take a seat." As if in response to his request, a chair from the back side of the room slid across the floor to the back of Clark's legs, hitting him and knocking him into it. Clark looked up in surprise. "A funny thing, suffering. There always seems to be an endless supply of it on this planet."

"And yet you still carry a gun," Lois said with a sarcastic smirk, breaking Clark from his trance. For a moment, he had forgotten she was even there. How had that happened?

"Perception, my dear. Perception. What looks more dangerous? A gun to your cousin's head, or an open palm? It is the simple things that sell a performance."

"A performance, you say? That makes me wonder if moving a chair across the floor was perhaps the last of your bag of tricks."

"I assure you, Lois, that the bullets in this gun are very real, as is the danger to your cousin's life if you don't start to behave. You really should start taking this situation more seriously, for I'm afraid someone very close to you is about to die."

Clark felt a spark of fear from Lois, but he didn't stop to wonder again exactly how their connection had been reestablished. There would be time for that later...he hoped.

"This is how the evenings festivities will play out. Lois, you will pick up the knife on the table there...yes, I know you have been eying it...and you will kill your husband with it. Then you, Chloe, and Lily will be free to go. Or, I will kill Chloe, and you, Clark, and Lily will be free to go. Your choice. Either way, you will be leaving alive, and graciously, I might add...with a good portion of your family still alive. Much more than anyone else facing me could expect to receive."

"I can't kill Clark...he's invincible."

"Oh, I assure you, he is quite mortal at the moment. I know my own product well. Two, three stabs should just about do it."

Lois closed her eyes, as if preparing herself for what she was about to do. "_Play along, Clark. We need him distracted._" Strengthening her resolve, she stepped to the table and picked the knife up with her right hand. She closed the distance between them, and held the knife up, hesitating. Her eyes watered slightly, and the look of pain on her face was almost more than he could bear.

"I'm sorry, Clark. I can't let Chloe die."

If Clark hadn't known that she was feeling anything but anguish at the moment, he would have believed she really was going to kill him. But what was she planning on doing? And then it occurred to him. _Lois is left handed._

Clark looked up in shock. "You don't love me?"

"Of course I love you, Clark. But it's Chloe. He's going to kill her. I can't let him do that." She knelt at his feet. "Can't you understand that?"

He put his hand up to her cheek, caressing it gently, before flashing her a look of anger and pushing her away. The force of his motion twisted her body away from Lex, and she took the opportunity to switch the knife to her left hand, then use the momentum to spin the rest of the way around, letting the knife go as she came to face him, sending it directly at his arm. Her aim was flawless...

The knife sailed towards Lex's outstretched arm, but stopped only a few inches from its target. A wall of static and electricity held the knife in mid-air for a moment, the forcefield like structure shimmered and faded, and the knife fell to the floor.

Lex held up the gun and shook it from side to side. "Naughty, naughty. That was a bravo attempt, but I'm afraid you won't like the result of option C." He lowered the gun and pointed it directly at Chloe's head...and froze.

_Lex._ "Lois, now!"

Lois pulled the crystal out quickly and tossed it across the floor. With the forcefield now gone, it slid successfully to Chloe's feet.

Lois motioned to the crystal. "Touch him with it, Chloe!"

Chloe grabbed the crystal and pressed it to his chest. A high pitched tone emitted from the crystal, and a purple light began to shine from it. Lex dropped the gun and fell to his knees. His face began to contort, transforming back and forth between the face of Lex and the face of the Phantom. The two split apart, and the translucent form of the Phantom whirlpooled into the crystal.

Lois worked quickly, pulling out the ring and tossing it through the air. It stopped in mid-air, growing and transforming, seemingly in the blink of an eye opening a bluish portal to what looked like and endless and dizzying abyss.

"Hurry! The crystal won't hold it for long. Throw it in!"

Chloe let the crystal fly, and moments after it left her hand, the force of the portal sucked at it, sending it zipping quickly into the ring. As the crystal neared the gateway, sparks began to form in and around the portal. A single bolt of lightening flashed brightly, and the portal was gone, with what looked like a square piece of glass in its place, the Phantom framed in its center. It began flipping end over end, crashed through the window, and shot into space.

Clark let out a deep breath he hadn't known he was holding. At last, it was over. Lois let out a breath of her own, took his hand, and kissed it. The Destroyer was locked away, forever. They could get back to helping the city recover, and to getting everything back to normal. It would take some time, he knew, but eventually Metropolis would get back on its feet and he and Lois would be able to spend some quality time together, adjusting to and enjoying married life. As if knowing what he was thinking, she squeezed his hand and smiled.

"Lex!"

The panic in Chloe's voice drew his attention, and he turned to see his friend's body collapsed on the floor, his clothing charred and a small amount of steam rising from his skin.

* * *

Chloe knelt at Lex's side, tears in her eyes. _You have to pull through, Lex. You have to pull through._ She took his hand in hers and kissed it, noticing that while it was warm to the touch, it appeared otherwise unharmed. "Lex?"

His eyes opened slowly, and Chloe laughed through a sob. "Lex. You're okay." He leaned forward, and Chloe helped him stand up. He looked at her for a moment, his face blank and unreadable, and then began looking around the room, as if it held more interest than her. "Lex?"

He looked out the shattered window, and then to Clark and Lois. Turning back to Chloe, he shook his head. "I am Zod. And at last, I am free."


	18. Zod

**Chapter Sixteen - Zod**

Not for the first time during his captivity, regret filled Zod's mind, overwhelming him. If only he had listened to his friends and family. If only he had obeyed the laws. If only he had made different choices. If only. That was his curse, to forever live in the mistakes of his past..to live in this Rao forsaken place...alone...without _her._

He understood now. She was his greatest failure, his greatest mistake. He had chosen passion over love...and had lost everything because of it. If only he could get back to Krypton, he knew he could redeem himself. He would fall down on his knees if he had to, and beg her to help him, to forgive him. But escaping this place...? He had spent years, decades searching. There was no way back. The Phantom Zone was the perfect prison. The gateway only worked one way. Anything could be sent in, nothing could be sent out. He had gone over the science more times than he could remember, and each time he came to the same conclusion. There was no way out. There was no chance for redemption.

Zod sighed, slumped down to the ground, and began stroking his forehead. He knew he shouldn't be thinking this way. He had made the mistakes, and he had to live with them. At times, he even thought he had come to terms with it all. But every time he lost someone, it hit him hard, and eventually he'd find himself back at this point.

It was even worse this time. A friend. Kib. A tough, fierce soldier, and a man with a past as full of mistakes as his. A past he had regretted as well. Men like him were few and far between here. Most of the men under his command were ruthless criminals, and followed him only because either they knew he was their best chance at staying alive or they knew they couldn't take him in a fight one-on-one to take the command from him. Either way, those weren't the kind of men you trusted or befriended. Not without ending up dead.

A familiar tingle worked its way up the back of his neck, and his ears soon confirmed his gut. He quickly composed himself, as if he was thinking, then spoke to the approaching man without bothering to turn around. "Speak." He smiled slightly. Keeping your back turned to anyone in this place was a sure way to get yourself killed, and everyone knew it. Not turning around demonstrated just how much power he held.

"Something is happening. You need to see it."

Zod nodded and stood, then followed the man back to the camp. A glimmer in the distance caught his eye, and another familiar tingle began to work its way up his spine. Evil incarnate. A gateway was being opened...the first time in at least twenty years that one had been opened...and he knew all too well who...or rather what...was coming through. _The Entity_.

Fear gripped him. He had been possessed by the being once before, and he knew all to well what it could do. It had been responsible for landing him here in the first place, and it had made him kill and ruin so many lives on the way. There was a time for cruelty and there was a time for an iron fist, but the Entity lived and breathed off of it. It was an unstoppable destructive force, and it would spell the end to everything.

The last time someone had tried to send it through had failed. But Jor-El had tried to send it through in Zod's body...not knowing that it was free to leave bodies at will. If this was indeed Jor-El's handiwork, he would have learned from his mistake and sent it through contained in a crystal. But even a crystal would not hold it for long.

There was no time to think. Action.

Zod broke into a full sprint towards the gateway. He had to get to the crystal before it broke free. There was only one way to stop it. The core, the Vigarti power cell that had given them the advantage they needed to stay alive was the only thing that could possibly hold the Entity for any length of time. They would be in trouble without it, but they would all be dead or worse with the Entity roaming free.

Electricity began spurting forth from the sides of the gateway. _Ten seconds._ He forced his legs to move faster, pushing his body to its limits. There was no choice. He had to make it in time. Everything depended on it.

He could see it. A glowing purple crystal was spinning end over end from inside the portal, making it's way to the barrier. He continued to run.

The crystal hit the forcefield, passing through it harmlessly. _Almost there._ He jumped, reached out his hand, and snatched it in the air, rolled, and nearly instantly was back on his feat and headed for the camp.

A searing pain shot through his hand, and the crystal began to shine brightly. _Too late!_

A single bolt of lightening struck him, sending pain through his body and shattering the crystal.

Darkness.

* * *

Clark 's eyes widened, and he replayed the last few minutes in his head. Their plan had worked nearly flawlessly. He hadn't expected the Destroyer to have recovered his strength so quickly, but they had gotten lucky; the knife that had been meant to disarm it of its weapon had instead disarmed the barrier protecting it. Lex couldn't have chosen a better time to act, and the Destroyer was then drawn into the crystal and banished to the Phantom Zone forever. And yet now...

_Zod._ Not for the first time in the past several minutes, Clark wished he had his powers back. It seemed they had traded one enemy for another, and at the moment he was helpless to protect those he loved. He needed to get Lois, Chloe, and Lily out of Lex's penthouse and away from Lex's body's newest occupant. Outside he could protect them. Here, he was as powerless as the average Joe.

Zod laughed spitefully. "You haven't aged a day, Jor-El. It seems Earth has been kinder to you than the Phantom Zone was to me. Ah, the glory of a yellow sun. I can already feel its strength beginning to course through my veins. The power is as intoxicating now as it was the first time I came here."

Clark chanced a quick glance at Lois, and saw his concern mirrored in her eyes. If Zod was growing in strength in a room coated in Kryptonite, then they were in even more trouble than he had thought. Had part of the Destroyer's power remained in Lex after the transfer? How had Zod managed to ride back through the open portal and into Lex? Travel back from the Phantom Zone was scientifically impossible...and yet the rebuttal of that claim was standing right before his eyes.

"But now is not the time to chat. I have a lifetime to reclaim. I'll be seeing you." And with that he turned, sprinted to the window, and jumped out. A sonic boom resonated through the room a second later.

Clark turned to Lois, and they both said in unison, "What just happened?"

* * *

Flight. Ah, he had missed this. The freedom, the speed; it was exhilarating. There were very few things quite like it. He suspected that Jor-El might be on his heals soon enough, but he had left quickly and suddenly...with enough distance, he might just be able to lose him. With a half smile, he concentrated and increased his speed further, scanning the passing terrain as he went, taking in the changes that the – how long had it been? Decades? – had brought.

Human technology, though still very primitive, had advanced considerably since his last visit. It would still be child's play to take over this world, even without the considerable strength granted him by the yellow sun, but the race of humanity was definitely making strides in the right direction. Two or three more centuries of advancement and it might even begin to rival Krypton as a power of scientific development.

The fatigue hit him without warning. One moment he was screeching through the sky, his strength growing with each moment of exposure to the rays of the yellow sun, and the next he was falling, dizziness and confusion overwhelming him. He would not have even noticed his impact with the ground if not for the pain – _pain?_ – that followed. _What is happening?_

He drifted in and out of consciousness, unaware of the passage of time, until the sun that was once high in the sky had disappeared across the horizon. Darkness came, broken only by small pin prickles of light scattered across the sky.

Stars. The Phantom Zone had no stars. _Where am I?_

_Stars._ He smiled and gazed across the sky, the first real peace in what seemed like a lifetime settling over him as he realized that he was home. At last, home. Krypton. His rattled mind failed to notice, or perhaps refused to accept, the unfamiliarity of the constellations surrounding him. He was home. The overwhelming pain was nothing, a faint echo in the background against the knowledge of his escape...against the hope that now filled him. He had all but given up hope of ever returning, of ever getting a second chance. This time would be different. She still loved him...she would always love him. Her love had never been the problem. The moment the Elders identified their souls for joining, she had given her heart to him. Perhaps even before. No, his own stubbornness had always been the cause of their separation. She was...plain. Unremarkable. Not fitting of a man of his rank and accomplishment. He was Zod. Brilliant. Influential. Powerful. Charismatic. Rivaled only by the house of El. Jor-El had been given his bride, a woman of unrivaled beauty. Zod deserved to be blessed in kind. To think that the Elders would have the audacity to suggest that he wed a woman of such unremarkable beauty...it was unthinkable.

There had been no alternative. He had left Krypton. The law was the law, and he did not yet have the strength to appose them. He would gather his strength on Earth, a planet he had not visited since his journey there as a boy during his right of passage into adulthood. There would be many adolescents on the planet taking similar journeys, and he would find them and convert them to his new calling. And then he would journey to the next planet, and the next, until the entirety of Krypton's future was under his command. His strength gathered, he would return to Krypton and destroy the Elders for their audacity, establishing a new ruling order with himself at the head.

He had been so foolish. The Elders had been right all along. He had rejected _her_, rejected his society, and embraced a path of destruction. His heart had been opened to the great evil that the legends spoke of, but that few had actually believed existed. The Entity. The Destroyer, as it was known in legend. Master of minds. Destroyer of worlds. It had taken him, used the corruption he had already instigated to further its purpose, and established a foothold on Krypton, a feat it had never managed to accomplish before. Unknown to him at the time, the house of El had been fighting its influence for centuries, fully aware of the power it wielded and the destruction it could cause if it were allowed to go unchecked.

The Entity was gone now. He knew not how much corruption and destruction it had caused. But she was pure, had always been pure. It could not have touched her. Would she forgive him? He had been behind so much evil and chaos. Could she forgive him for all that he had done?

Hope. There was still hope. The years had changed him, had opened his eyes to his mistakes. He was not like her, not yet, but with time, with her support, he knew he could be. He did not know if she would be able to forgive him. But she still loved him, this he knew, still yearned for him to love her in return. There was still hope that, in time, she would forgive him and trust him, in addition to her love for him that was already secure.

He had been wrong. Her outward appearance might have been plain, but her heart, her personality, her character was a fountain of beauty, and it filled her face with beauty beyond anyone else in the universe. His pride had blinded him to this beauty in the past, but he had had years to dwell on her and on the past, and clarity was his now.

Clarity. Thoughts of reality brought the pain his body was in to the forefront of his mind, causing him to groan loudly. He had closed his eyes as thoughts of _her_ had come to him; he could recall her features better with no other sights to distract him, and as he opened them again, his mind began to recall everything that had happened in the past several hours. The patterns of the stars spoke new clarity to his mind, and he groaned again. He was not on Krypton. He was on Earth. And in pain, which made little sense at all.

Zod shifted his body in an attempt to right himself. He managed to push himself up on all fours, only to collapse again onto the cold dirt. Movement intensified his pain. He rested for several minutes, and then attempted to push himself up once more. He did, and then rolled and sat up, holding his head in his hands, coaxing it to stop pounding. A warm liquid met his touch, and he wiped the blood away and looked at his hands.

It was then that horror filled him, as it all clicked into place. It was not the blood that surprised him, nor the cuts and scratches on his hands and arms that caused him panic. Rather, it was the lack of a wound that filled him with perfect clarity and fear. His left hand was not horribly scarred, as it normally was. It was smooth, the skin paler than his own. All his hopes had been for naught. He had escaped from the Phantom Zone, but not completely. Not the part that mattered. The body he now inhabited was not his own. How could she ever take him back now?

_No. Mira!_

* * *

Lois kissed her cousin lightly on the head and whispered a few words of encouragement, before turning around and closing the door to the bedroom behind her. It hadn't taken Chloe long to fall asleep. Just moments after entering the car, she had nodded off, and Lois doubted if she had been conscious enough to remember Clark carrying her up the stairs to their apartment and into her and Lily's temporary room. But with everything that she had been through, it was no wonder that she was exhausted.

Lois smiled when she took in the scene in front of her. Lily, it seemed, had not been similarly affected. With giggles and the occasional joyful scream, she was running around the table, trading between running after Clark and running away from him, just as she had been when Lois had left to check in on Chloe.

Without stopping his chase, Clark sent an inquiring glance in her direction, and Lois nodded and smiled in reply. Satisfied that Chloe was okay, he returned his complete focus to the young girl, circling the table a few more times before giving up being fair and adding a bit of superpowered oomph to his step in order to scoop her up in his arms. She laughed heartily, then giggled uncontrollably as he began to tickle her. He swung her in a circle a few times, smiled, and then kissed her lightly on the forehead before placing her gently back on the ground.

Lily staggered wobbly for a few seconds, shook her head momentarily, then laughed and began her turn chasing Clark. This continued for a few more minutes, until Lily paused suddenly as she noticed Lois standing there looking on. Clark leaned down and whispered something in Lily's ear, and her eyes went wide with wonder and excitement.

A mischievous little grin swept across her face, and Lois noticed a similar one planted on Clark's. She frowned and concentrated on his thoughts for a moment, trying to decipher what he had told Lily. She found what she was looking for a few moments later, and her frown turned to shock. How could he share her deepest darkest secret with Lily?

_Smallville! You didn't!_

Clark's grin grew a mile wide, and he nodded quickly at Lily and pumped his fist in the air. "Attack!"

Lily curled her little fingers into claws and burst forth in a wave of impossible energy, growling "Tickle monsta, tickle monsta, tickle monsta!" as she went.

Lois ran for her life, but Clark cut off her escape route, allowing the child to tackle her to the couch and begin her fingers' torturous prowling of her sides.

Now it was Lois who giggled uncontrollably. "Stop...surrender...I surrender...you win...stop..." she said with her hands raised high. Lily continued her antics for a few more moments, then stopped and gave her a big hug instead. Lois wrapped her arms around her in kind, smiling and then kissing the top of her head.

Lily snuggled into her chest, laughing softly once more before closing her eyes and sighing. Lois had to smile. Only Clark could tire out a girl with such a bountiful supply of energy so quickly. Clark sat down on the floor and took her hand, and the three of them sat in silence until Lily had drifted off to sleep.

"Do you want me to put her in bed?"

Lois shook her head. "No, I think I'll hold her for a little while."

He nodded, stood up and kissed her, and then began to work his way around the apartment, tidying it up. She smiled and closed her eyes, content.

Her thoughts drifted to the events of the day. And what a day! It had begun as every day should, waking up in Clark's arms. Her thoughts had been focused on him, on the voices in his head and the prophecy that her intuition told her was coming to pass. If only she had known then how right she was.

She had considered waking Clark for a moment, but he was so peaceful, and after all the work he had done over the past few days, he needed the rest. After dressing and waking up her father to let him know she was going out, she had jumped in her car and began the long drive to Smallville.

Every time she spoke with Clark's biological mother, she left feeling encouraged, and this time was no exception. Her voice radiated warmth and love. She hadn't had a better understanding of what she needed to do, but still, she had left encouraged.

And then Lex...Lex!...had shot her with his tranquilizer gun, tied her up, and set a bomb to go off in her face...which it had, but not before she had learned the meaning behind Lara's council, the choice that Clark would have to make. Her...or the world.

His choice both thrilled her and troubled her. That he chose her spoke of the depth of the love that he had for her, but it also spoke of his weakness. She would always be his weakest link. He was invulnerable. It would always be easier for his enemies to come after those that he loved than attack him outright. This fact only made it that much more important that they guard his identity. She could take care of herself just fine, but even she had her limits.

For once, she was thankful that Clark could not hear her thoughts. She needed time to sort everything out before she discussed these fears with him, and hearing her thoughts would spoil all of that. She still wasn't sure why she could, why their link had been reconnected, or why it was stronger than before. Feeling his emotions, being able to talk to him without words, both of them had gotten used to it and taken it for granted. In a way, it might have even opened themselves up to each other in a way that they wouldn't have so quickly embraced otherwise. She had grown up independent and closed off, and he hadn't exactly been the poster boy for openness himself growing up. And yet here they were, completely comfortable with each other, willing to share almost anything. Their emotional connection was a blessing in disguise.

Their connection was different this time around. He could still hear her when she spoke to him silently, but his replies did not resonate in her mind unless she focused on reading his thoughts. The emotional connection was only a fraction of what it had been before. Only the strongest of emotions registered naturally. Lois had to focus to sense anything more than that, and Clark wasn't able to extended it, even with focus. She didn't understand why that was the case. Why was she connected to him in some ways more strongly than before, and yet he was only connected in return at a fraction of their previous connection? Was it because of her death? No, that couldn't be it. She had felt their connection reestablished before that.

Did it really matter? Connection or no, they were together. They knew each other so well, they didn't need any help to know what the other was thinking. And if there was any doubt...well, that's what conversation was for. She smiled. It was comforting to know that it wasn't their connection that defined their relationship, that they could survive and even thrive without it. As she thought about it, she had to admit that somewhere deep down she had always been fearful that they were only so close because of their emotional connection, and that if it was severed, so would their closeness. But she now knew without a doubt that her fears had been unfounded. She didn't need some mystical connection to him...she was connected to him regardless. As she would always be.

"Lois?"

She resisted the urge to read his thoughts, deciding then and there that if he couldn't, she wouldn't either. Their connection would be a crutch no longer.

"What is it, Clark?"

"Will you be alright with Lily for a while? I'm going to make another sweep."

She smiled. "How many is that now? Ten? Zod doesn't want to be found."

"I know. But just in case. And vandalism is still a big problem in the city, even after all the work I put in today. I want to make sure Superman's presence is felt, even at night. It'll keep the city from descending any further into chaos than it already is."

She nodded, agreeing with him as well as answering his question. "Yes, I'll be fine. Go."

He nodded. "I'll try to be home in a few hours. If anything changes here, let me know."

"I will."

He nodded, turned to leave, then hesitated. Turning around again, he came to her and kissed her. "I love you, Lois."

"I love you too, Smallville."

Satisfied, he smiled, and a moment later, he was gone.

* * *

Of course. He didn't understand why he hadn't noticed earlier. The way the blond girl had looked at him...and the fact that she had called him "Lex." It should have occurred to him instantly that he had not returned as he had left, but had instead left his body behind. It made a certain kind of sense, too. The crystal of transference, the Entity's surge of power as it burst from the crystal, his own proximity to both. Not scientific sense, of course...his transfer to Earth from the Phantom Zone, whether in spirit only or if it had been both body and spirit, was impossible, even with the evidence to the contrary. But still, a certain kind of sense.

He knew why, of course, he had not seen it immediately. _Mira._ He hadn't voiced Mira's name, even in his thoughts, for years. Now that he had, he was having a hard time doing anything else. Mira was the reason he hadn't seen the truth. His only thought had been for Mira. He had to get to Mira. His old rivalry with Jor-El didn't matter. He didn't care if he was happy and lived forever. Mira. Mira was all that mattered.

Was there still hope? Could Mira love him, like this? As another man? Mira had to. Before, he had accepted his defeat. He would be without Mira; he would die without Mira. There had been no escape.

But with this unexpected freedom, he could not go back to acceptance. He could not go back to a world without Mira. He would go to Mira, and Mira would accept him, or he would die. That was the only way it could be.


	19. Awake

**Chapter Seventeen - Awake**

Lois woke suddenly, her thoughts being drawn to Clark. It was still dark, and a quick glance at her nightstand let her know it was just after two in the morning. Ugh. She had always been a heavy sleeper, and she had always enjoyed it. Waking up in the middle of the night had never been her idea of fun. Too many bad memories were associated with it. As a child, waking up at night meant waking up from a nightmare...usually centered around her mother's death. As she had gotten older, the nightmares had slowed and eventually stopped, and she had begun to sleep like a rock. By then, the only times she did wake up before dawn was to the General's shake, letting her know that he was leaving and that she was taking his place in the chain-of-command, and those instances had negative connotations as well.

Lois reached over to Clark's side of the bed to check if he was there, but the space was empty...untouched. He still hadn't returned from his patrol. She groaned loudly and rolled to her side, grabbing his pillow and snuggling into it, inhaling his scent.

Her thoughts began to drift towards his, but she quickly resisted the urge to search his mind and find out where he was and what he was doing. She would know if he was struggling and needed her support, and that wasn't the case at the moment. She would stick to her new rule.

Lois furrowed her brow. She wasn't sure why her new rule was so important to her, but it was. If Clark couldn't search her mind, she wouldn't search his. And that went for every advantage their new connection had given her. His mind, his emotions, anything that didn't come to her naturally, anything that she had to put extra effort into to get, effort Clark wasn't able to put in, she restrained. It just felt right. It fed her anticipation of seeing him again, of talking to him and finding out from him how his day had gone.

Perhaps that was it. Clark, while he was out on patrol or away from her in any capacity, was cut off from her, and when he returned, he was always overjoyed at seeing her and excited to hear about her life. His enthusiasm for her upon his returns made her overwhelmingly happy, and she knew she wanted Clark to feel that same joy in return.

Satisfied by her conclusion, she snuggled even closer into Clark's pillow and closed her eyes, resting her mind in an attempt to drift back to sleep.

She slept like a rock for most of the rest of the night, nearly waking only once, when Clark returned from his patrol and slipped into bed beside her. She vaguely remembered mumbling something when he came in, but she was still too much asleep to recall exactly what.

The morning came swiftly, and the sunlight warmed her face as she opened her eyes, her body very well rested. She lay there silently for a moment, her eyes watching the sunrise as her mind prepared her for the beginning of the day.

"Lois..."

His voice was soft...barely over a whisper as he mumbled her name in his sleep, and she rolled over to face him, smiling softly in surprise when she took in her husband sleeping soundly beside her. She hadn't expected to wake up with him there.

Any thought of getting out of bed left her. She loved, loved, loved waking up next to him, and she wasn't about to cheat him out of the same pleasure, especially after he had sacrificed time with her to keep Metropolis safe the night before. Instead she scooted closer to him, until her body pressed against his, and then rested her head on her pillow and began to watch his face as he breathed deeply in and out.

An hour passed, and she spent most of the time simply watching him contently, not really thinking about anything. Clark began to stir then, and she heard some soft groans escape his lips, but he didn't wake. He shifted his weight around, and she shifted hers in turn, until she was on her back and he lay on his belly, his head using her chest as a pillow and his arms snuggling her sides. The position was comfortable for both of them.

She absentmindedly began stroking the locks of his hair with her hand, wondering for a moment if this would ever get old. Would she ever get tired of watching Clark sleep, or of waking up beside him? She shook her head to herself. No, this would never get old.

She was lucky, she realized. If she had married anyone but Clark, she would have missed moments like this. She could be very grouchy in the morning, but however she was when she woke up, she nearly always got up immediately. The only problem with sleeping like a rock was that once you were awake, you were awake. She had always found it pointless to spend a few extra minutes in bed. Better to get up, get a shower, and get a start on the day than to waste time trying to go back to sleep.

But it was different with Clark. His calling, the destiny that he had chosen for himself, it would take him away from her. She knew that there would be many mornings in the future when she would wake up, and he would be gone, out responding to an early cry for help or a wailing police siren. She had the rest of her life to spend with him, but she wouldn't get to spend every morning waking up next to him. She knew this. She understood this. And she accepted this. But when he was home...well, her knowledge and understanding only made those times that much more special. She would never get tired of waking up next to Clark, she would never do anything less than savor these rare moments that he was able to give her, because she knew that the next morning she might not get the same opportunity.

Clark groaned softly again, shifted a bit more of his body on top of her, and took in a deep breath and then yawned, hugging her ever so gently before rolling onto his back and pulling her with him.

She smiled and leaned in to plant a kiss on his lips, recognizing the signs and knowing that he was awake. "Morning, Smallville."

He yawned again, returned her kiss with one of his own, and then let his head fall back to the bed as he looked up at her.

"Morning, sweetheart." He paused for a moment. "How long have you been awake?"

She shrugged. "An hour or so. I'm not sure. I wasn't really paying attention to the time."

He nodded and smiled, leaning up and kissing her again. "Thank you for waiting for me. I love waking up next to you."

She returned the kiss, kissed him a few more times, and then snuggled into his arms, resting her head contently on his chest. "I know. I do too."

The two of them lay there for several more minutes, Clark stroking her hair and Lois closing her eyes and contently letting him do so. The coming day hit them both at the same time, and Lois rolled off of him as he sat up in the bed, swinging his feet onto the floor with a sigh. She sat up and scooted up behind him, hanging her arms around him in a big hug as she kissed him at the nape of his neck.

"I'm going to go take a shower, Clark."

He squeezed a hand that was around his waist and nodded. "I'm probably going to take another sweep of the city."

Lois squeezed him tightly, leaned her head over his shoulder and kissed his cheek, then answered him. "I thought you might. Do you think you'll be back in time for breakfast?"

Clark laughed. "I saw all the breakfast food in the fridge. You'll need me if your planning on attempting to finish it off anytime soon." He paused, a little more serious. "I don't know. I didn't think I would be long last night, but unexpected things kept happening. I'm going to try and plan on it, but I don't know if I will or not. There's still just so much to do to help the city get back on its feet."

He paused for a moment, thinking, and Lois nodded and waited for him to continue, sensing that he had something else to say.

He stood up and looked at her. "If I can't make it home today for a decent amount of time, will you mind if I wake you when I get home? We haven't really had much time to ourselves since Sunday."

Lois' smile spread a mile wide, any remaining fears slipping away in an instant. This really was going to work. They were going to make it. "I'd like that."

He nodded and smiled, and she stood up as he leaned down to kiss her good-bye. They embraced for a few moments, whispered their I-love-yous to each other, and then Lois headed to the bathroom to get out of her PJs and into the shower as Clark changed into his suit and took off in a flash out the window.

* * *

The haze slowly began to lift from Brandon's mind as it unwelcomely retreated from the land of dreams. The moment he awoke, he was instantly hit with a pounding headache, and his hatred filled eyes shot open as he searched for the source. He had picked this secluded alley to sleep in for its seclusion...who was daring to encroach on his territory?

It took him a few minutes to find the perp in question. He located the man further up the alley, digging through a large trash container, adding odds and ends to a shopping cart. It was obvious that the man was homeless, and for a moment Brandon considered killing him. It would be fairly easy. The alley was mostly dark, even with the sun peaking over the horizon. He wouldn't see him, much less the knife, until it was too late, and no one else was around to hear any muffled cries he might manage. But he quickly dismissed that idea. Stabbing victims died much too slowly, and his unsilenced pistol would echo and carry, potentially bringing more intruders to his sleeping spot. And he doubted that the man's death would remove the pain. Lois had clearly been dead when he had touched her...no, killing him would likely only make it worse. Annoyed, he drew his gun and pointed it at the man, approaching him.

"If you value your life, you will leave, right now."

The homeless man turned and looked his way in surprise, and then fear. "Don't shoot! I have nothing to steal."

Brandon barely registered his words, too much in shock at the most recent development. He could see the fear in the mans eyes. It was obvious. But he could also see it through the sweat on his forehead, on the slightly erect hairs of his head and the goose bumps on his arms. Each location gave off a faint purple hue, and slightly pricked at the edges of his heart. He couldn't just see the fear in this man...he could feel it himself, if greatly diminished in strength.

Rage filled him. Without thinking he pulled the trigger, felt a very sharp and very brief pain in his head, and then it was gone. The headache, the fear. Vanished. He blinked and looked down in time to see the homeless man collapse to the ground, a bullet hole in his head.

_What?_

A thought occurred to him, and he spent a moment arguing with himself. In the end, his naturally inquisitive nature overrode his natural aversion of pain, and he bent down and touched the homeless man on the head. He braced himself, waiting for the something...the pain too return...the bullet hole to disappear...anything. But nothing happened.

Had his curse been lifted?

Curious, Brandon pulled down his sleeves and lifted his hood over his head, hiding most of the extensive scarring across most of his skin. It hadn't quite been twenty-four hours since the burns had covered him, and already they had healed. But the scarring...even those that knew him well wouldn't recognize him anymore. His career was essentially over...all of the skills that set him apart as an investigative reporter were made null by his scars. Sure, he was still a great writer...but the writing had never been what had drawn him to journalism. It was the scoop. It was blowing the competition out of the water. It was getting the exclusive, the dirt that no one else could get. He could write the story after the fact in his sleep. He had, in fact, done nearly that a few times in the past. Writing was nothing. Getting the scoop was everything. And that had been taken from him. That he could never forget.

Brandon rounded the corner and took the narrow walkway between the two stone buildings to the street, putting himself just a few feet away from the traffic.

The pain hit him instantly, and he took a step back. Back pain, head pain, neck pain, knee pain, arthritis in his hands, heartburn, a sore throat,...Brandon took a deep breath and another step back. Unwilling to bear the burden much longer to test his theory, he quickly scanned the crowd for the closest purple blob, grabbed her...his...he wasn't sure...hand, and watched all the purple drain from the body. He shook his head in hate, and quickly withdrew from the street and hurried back to the safety of the alley.

Sliding back into his corner, he pulled out his gun and set his face with resolve. Death was the answer. If another intruder was unlucky enough to wander into his territory, he would not hesitate again. He would strike. Nine bullets left. Perhaps he could use them all before the police responded. After that...who knew. He would come after them with his knife if he had to. This was his alley, and he wouldn't let them take it from him without a fight.

* * *

Chloe woke up to the sound of soft, soothing breathing beside her. She stretched her arms above her head and yawned, and then tried to clear her mind and open her eyes to figure out where she was. Shaking her head did little to clear the fog from her mind, and she inhaled deeply to take in the scent of coffee that should have been coming from the other room. Noticing its absence, she groaned and tried to remember if she had set the timer or not on her automatic coffee machine. But she didn't even remember climbing into her bed or falling asleep. Regardless, it appeared she was going to have to make to do with waking herself up.

Chloe snorted as she once again tried to shake the fog from her eyes. Waking herself up without coffee? That was like trying to do something...really hard. She snorted again. Her mind wasn't coherent enough to come up with a decent example.

The soft, soothing breathing beside her continued, and Chloe realized that she was not alone in her bed...or wherever she was. But even that startling realization wasn't enough to kick her mind into gear. Besides the disappointing lack of coffee scent in the air, nothing felt out of place. Whoever was sleeping beside her belonged there. It felt right.

She spent the next several minutes wrestling with her mind, forcing it to process logical thoughts. She tried to start by recalling the events of the previous day, but that seemed to be even more difficult than opening her eyes, almost as if her body fought against it, like it knew something she didn't.

Giving up, she forced herself to open her eyes, and took in a pair of large, brown, marble eyes staring back at her from behind a thick coat of fur. Her mind was awake enough to process that, and she smiled and scooted a little closer to Lily and Teddy, falling in love with her all over again as she watched her sleep peacefully.

Her thoughts drifted from Lily to Lex, and all at once the events of the last few days came rushing in, the dam that had held them back crumbling down. Tears began to threaten her eyes, and she tried to shake them loose as she wrapped her arms around Lily, drawing comfort from her closeness. Her love life really was hopeless. Sean, Justin, Clark, Jimmy, Ian...and now Lex. Disaster after disaster after disaster. It didn't seem to matter who she went out with, it always seemed to end badly...and most of the time with them trying to kill her.

It hurt even worse this time. It was different with Lex. She had liked all of the boys that had been interested in her in the past, but they were boys and she had still been only a young girl herself. She hadn't ever loved any of them, not like she loved Lex. It had been more about having a relationship, about having someone show interest in her than wanting to be with them. But her heart burned for Lex. There wasn't anyone else; no one could steal her heart away from him. She still didn't know how well it would have worked between them...after all, they had only been on one date. She loved him, and she knew now that he loved her, but that wasn't always enough. They had only just begun to work on their relationship, their chemistry had only just begun to develop. Despite how much she loved him, if they had tried it, and it hadn't worked out, she would have been able to deal with it. But this way...before they had even had a chance...

Her tears slowed as her natural instinct to fight kicked in. This Zod, whoever he was, wasn't going to take Lex away from her without a fight. Lex was strong; he would fight too. He had fought whatever entity had possessed him before in order to keep her safe, and he would fight again to make it back to her. And she would help him. She didn't know what she would do, what she could do, but she would figure something out.

Wide awake now, Chloe released her hold on Lily, kissed her lightly on her forehead, and got out of bed. She needed to talk to Lois. She needed some answers. She vaguely recalled her mentioning Zod's name once in the past. Some type of Kryptonian criminal, from what she remembered. But surely there would be more information about him at the fortress. She was sure Clark was out, either helping the city or trying his best to track Zod down. But Lois could take her. She knew the way, and she knew what to do. Exiting her temporary bedroom, Chloe took the few steps down the hall to Lois' room and knocked.

She smiled. It wasn't a question of if, but when. No one stopped a Lane or a Sullivan on a mission. Especially one in love.

* * *

Lois let the hot water warm her body and clear her mind, turning her thoughts towards her plans for the day. She couldn't plan on Clark being home at all, so anything centered around him was out of the question. She wanted to be available for him if he did manage to make it home, but she knew she couldn't sit at home and wait around for him either. She would go mad. There were too many things to do and too many people to worry about to sit at home and do nothing.

She did, however, have some responsibilities at home to take care of before she could go out. She would need to spend some of the morning, at least, with Chloe and Lily, to gauge how they were adjusting and whether they had healed enough for her to leave them alone. If they both, or even just one of them, still needed her there, she could manage, as she would at least be doing something worthwhile.

She thought about the city for a moment. From what she had seen on the news the night before, things were getting better. Clark's nearly all day sweeping of the city the previous day had saved thousands of lives, even though the death toll was still over three hundred thousand. The National Guard had responded quickly as well, and they were working around the clock to shuttle people to safety, reunite loved ones, and identify the dead. And with Clark's, or rather Superman's, as the public now knew him, help, the city was recovering quickly.

Questions still abounded around the Phantom, as it was now known, but the public believed that Superman had fought it and won. Which was true, just not in the sense that they believed. They would never get the whole story, not while Lois had anything to say about it, but she was still proud of her husband and the public attention and respect that he had gained through his actions.

Volunteers had responded by the thousands, and before nightfall the Guard had started turning people away. Still, she had her own connections, and she new she could find a way to be helpful.

But there was one thing she needed to do before that. She would be useless to anyone until she knew how Lucy was. She would need to call the Smallville Medical Center to get an update on her condition, but she knew, no matter what they told her, that she wouldn't be able to rest until she saw her for herself. And that meant making the three hour drive to Smallville. Unless Clark could spare twenty minutes to fly her down. That was about as fast as he could make the trip with her in his arms. Alone, he could make it in under a minute, but her body couldn't take the forces at those speeds.

She heard a knock on the bathroom door, and she smiled. Clark was back already. The city must be in even better shape that it had been the night before.

"You don't need to knock. Come in."

She heard Clark open the door and close it behind him, and her smile grew wider. "The water's still warm. You can join me if you like."

Lois heard a laugh that was definitely not Clark's. "I don't know that I'm that comfortable with your nudity, Lois."

"Oh! Sorry Chloe, I thought you were Clark."

"I gathered as much."

Lois laughed despite herself. "What's up?"

"I wanted to talk to you about Lex."

Lois attempted to choke back a sudden flood of sadness and grief. She was immediately thankful for the warm water flowing down on her face. It would hide any tears that managed to escape. It was one thing to cry in front of Clark...it was quite another to cry in front of Chloe.

It wasn't fair. Chloe had been through so much. She deserved to be happy, to be with Lex. Chloe had called her the day before and immediately after she had asked Lex out. She had been simply ecstatic. Lois had been inwardly rooting for them for the last eight months, the moment she had noticed the lightness of Chloe's eyes each time she went over to Lex's. At first, she had thought it was just a reaction to being able to practice her music, but eventually she had put the pieces together. Chloe was in love with him.

"We'll get him back, Chloe," she managed to say, hoping the sound of the water drowned out the emotion in her voice.

Chloe was silent for a moment, and Lois used the time to pull herself back together. Back in control, she turned off the water and grabbed the towel from the top of the shower, quickly drying off her body before wrapping the towel around her body, tucking it underneath her arms. She then wrung out the excess water from her hair, slid back the shower curtain, and stepped out.

Chloe was seated on the top of the toilet, fighting her own battle to stay in control. Her emotions came flooding back, and Lois took her cousin by the hand and pulled her up into a strong embrace. "It's going to be okay, cuz. We'll find a way to get him back."

Her cousin sobbed and nodded into her shoulder, hugging her more tightly. "It's not fair."

"No it's not." She shook her head. "No it's not."

They cried together for a few more minutes, Lois holding her in a tight embrace. "I want him more than anything. I'm so afraid for him."

"I know, cuz. I know. I'm so sorry."

A few more minutes passed, and Chloe seemed to calm down. Lois gave her one last squeeze, and then released her to look her in the eyes. "We'll get him back. We'll find a way."

Chloe nodded and smiled weakly. "I know." She took a deep breath, and then exhaled slowly. "Wow. I didn't expect that to happen. I must have been holding it in."

Though Lois was thankful that she had been able to release that from her system, she was slightly confused. "Did you have something else you needed to talk to me about?"

Chloe nodded, and Lois saw her eyes fill with fierce determination. _That's my girl._

"I'm going to get him back. I just don't know where to start. I thought you could help fill me in...on this guy, Zod."

Lois nodded as she opened the cabinet drawer and took out her brush, and began working the tangles out of her hair as she spoke. "I don't know as much as Clark would, but I know the basics." She paused for a moment as she realized that that wasn't true. She knew exactly as much as Clark did...she still had access to his mind, his memories. But she wasn't about to go probing it without his permission. Doing otherwise would be against her rule.

"Hold on a second. Let me talk to Clark."

She closed her eyes and concentrated.

"_Clark?_"

"_Lois, can you hear me?_" Clark thought intentionally as Lois listened in on that part of his mind.

"_Yes._"

"_Are you okay?_"

"_Everything is fine. I just needed to ask you something. I'm with Chloe, and she's asking about Zod. I know some, but not as much as you. I don't know why or how, but I'm able to...access your thoughts and memories now. I thought I would...but I didn't want to...search your mind without your permission._"

She felt a surge of love flow from him, and her heart warmed and jumped in her chest. It took him a moment to respond, and she recognized that he was heavily distracted by whatever he was doing at the moment. She relaxed and waited patiently for him to find the time to answer her.

"_I noticed that. I can sense you when you're doing it, though I can't tell what you're looking at. I uh...don't know. I've been thinking about something a lot today, and I'd rather talk to you in person about it. Do you...have a lot of control over it?_"

She nodded, then realized that he wouldn't see her do it."_Yes. I seem to be able to look at whatever I want and ignore whatever I want, like I'm searching a large database and only the searches I ask for are displayed._"

"_Okay then. Go ahead._"

She nodded again, out of habit. She suddenly wondered if he knew her well enough to know she was doing it. "_Thank you._"

"_Lois! Are you still there?_"

"_Yes, I'm listening._"

"_I love you...so, so much._" She felt him choke up, and it hit her too.

"_I know, Smallville. I love you too._"

She waited for a few more moments, in case he had anything else to say, but when the silence continued, she opened her eyes and looked at Chloe. Her eyes were filled with confusion.

"What?"

"Since when can you talk to Clark without contact or your bracelet?"

"Oh. I don't know. It happened sometime yesterday, shortly before I died." Lois' eyes widened, as she realized what she had just said. _Crap._

"You died!? And you didn't...you died? What? How? When?"

Lois sighed. She had not wanted to let Chloe know about that. For a few weeks, at least. And certainly not before she got Lex back. Considering he was the one that had..she shuddered.

"The Destroyer, the entity that was controlling Lex earlier, tied me up and set a bomb off in my face. Brandon Brown found me and untied me before it went off, but we didn't get out in time." She paused for a moment, as she thought of Brandon for the first time since the explosion. What had happened to him? She hadn't seen him when she had woken back up. Was he still alive?

"But...you don't have a scratch on you."

"I don't understand it either. I was dead, and I saw my mother. And she told me she was sending me back, that Clark still needed me. And then I woke up and was fine."

"That's crazy. What about Brandon? Wasn't he going out with Lucy?"

Lois silently breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn't been sure how her cousin would react to the news, but her curiosity was a good sign. "Yes, he was. Although I think they'd only been on a few dates. Lucy is crazy about him, but I'm not sure he feels the same way.

"I didn't see him there when I woke up. I think I was too worried about Lucy to think about anything else. I don't know what happened to him."

Chloe nodded, understanding. Then she shook her head. "That's just crazy. I wonder if it had anything to do with your new connection. Maybe you can't die while you're still connected to Clark. That would be something, wouldn't it?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I don't think I want to take the chance to find out. I couldn't bear hurting Clark like that again. He...he found me after the explosion. My body was all scorched and black. Seeing me like that put him through so much suffering. I couldn't do that to him again."

Chloe nodded, and the two of them stood in silence for a moment, Lois finishing up with her hair and returning the brush to its place in the cabinet. She then retrieved her toothbrush from its nook in the counter and got to work on getting her teeth clean. She managed to brush, rinse, and spit before Chloe said anything further.

Chloe looked over at her and recognized that she had finished her morning routine, and began to head for the door. "I'll be right back. I'm going to go check on Lily."

Lois nodded, and followed her out of the bathroom into her bedroom, then took a moment to look through her underwear for something to wear. She decided on a skimpy red lace top and bottom she'd bought for their short honeymoon but never had the chance to use properly, not knowing if Clark's intentions that evening went further than just talking. She didn't know if she would have the chance to change into it or not before Clark returned home, and it was better to be safe than sorry. She couldn't wait to see the look on his face when he first saw her in it.

She chose a pair of tight, dark jeans and a maroon button down blouse, finishing up with her favorite brown jacket. She was fully dressed by the time Chloe returned, now back in the bathroom beginning to put the finishing touches on her face and hair.

"How was Lily?"

Chloe shook her head. "Still sleeping, surprisingly. I thought she would have woken up before me, but she's out cold."

Lois smiled. "Credit that to Clark. He had her running all around the house last night."

"Well I guess if anyone could do it, it would be Clark. He certainly doesn't tire easily."

"No he doesn't." _But he still does_, she added silently. She had seen his exhaustion firsthand over the past few days. Even if most of it was more emotional than physical exhaustion. He did tire out. If it came down to a fight between Zod and Clark...she forced the thought from her mind, refusing to think about it. They would find a way to remove Zod before that happened. They had to.

Chloe sat down on her bed and put her hands to her sides. "So...about Zod."

"Right." She paused for a moment. Where did she begin?


	20. Redemption

**Chapter Eighteen - Redemption**

Chloe walked down the sidewalk just outside of Lois and Clark's apartment, considering everything Lois had just told her about Zod. It was a lot to take in. His story was such a sad one, and she wondered if she wouldn't have acted similarly in his position. She wasn't justifying his actions, but she did understand them.

She tried to picture herself in his shoes. She definitely wasn't keen on the idea of an arranged marriage. Especially if she was being forced to marry someone else when she was in love with Lex. She likely would have run, too, taking Lex with her, just as he had taken his love, Hela, with him to Earth. Once there, he had realized that he would be on the run forever, and that eventually, he would be caught and banished. He couldn't take that, and so he had begun to travel from planet to planet, gathering other Kryptonians to his cause, to fight against and overthrow the current government. He was a natural leader, charismatic, and they flocked to him and followed him unquestionably. Once he had gathered his army, he had returned. He hadn't returned completely alone.

There was a being, an ancient entity that old Kryptonian legend called the Destroyer, that fed off of violence, betrayal, and hate, consuming and possessing those that practiced those ideals. It had completely consumed other worlds, but Krypton, a beacon of peace and accomplishment, had always stayed out of its grasp, until only a handful of people still believed it existed. Its weakness was love, sacrifice, and peace. It could not touch a world or a person that practiced those ideals. And so for millennium, Krypton had been left untouched.

Zod's actions had opened the door, and as Zod had begun his conquest, the Destroyer had begun to influence him and tempt him and his army. It was careful, and only moved subtly, until it had enough strength to possess him completely. Then it had used the fighting and war to seed doubts and fears in the hearts of every Kryptonian.

The government had eventually captured Zod, banishing him to the Phantom Zone for his crimes, thinking that he was behind all of the mayhem. But by then it was too late; the Destroyer had already established a foothold, and it continued to spread its influence until nearly every heart was corrupted.

The house of El, Clark's biological family, had been fighting the Destroyer since the very first El. His biological father had recognized the signs, and knew what was happening, but no one else would believe him, not putting any stock in the old legends. Science ruled on Krypton, and nothing outside of that realm was accepted by the general populace.

He had still thought there was one last chance to save Krypton, but he also knew that if he failed, Krypton would be destroyed. He couldn't take that chance with his son's life, and so he had sent Clark to Earth, hoping that he would become a beacon of hope for the people and inspire the qualities in them that naturally repelled the Destroyer, keeping the hope of finally defeating it alive along with his son.

His plan to stop the Destroyer hadn't worked, and the destruction was even worse due to Zod's actions. Normally, there were hundreds if not thousands of Kryptonians on other planets going through their rights of passage into adulthood. But Zod had recruited them all, bringing them to Krypton with him, and those that hadn't followed him had returned to Krypton to defend it. And so the entire race, except for Clark, had been killed in one final blow.

It was so horrifying, and yet still, she couldn't blame him completely. She might not have done exactly as he had, but she would have run. If her father, the government, or anyone came to her and told her she had to marry a complete stranger and cut Lex out of her life completely, she wouldn't do it either. She would take Lex and run.

His story ended even more tragically. Hela, the woman he had made all of the compromises for, ended up being the one that betrayed him. She had led the authorities to him and allowed them to banish him to the Phantom Zone.

Chloe felt a chill climb up her spine. His story and hers were so eerily similar. Or rather, his and Hela's story and hers and Lex's. From what Clark had learned when the Destroyer had temporarily taken control of him, it was her fault that Lex had been overcome. His love for her, and his rage when he thought she had betrayed him, had been what had opened the door and let it take him. If she had never loved him, if she had never distracted him from the journey towards good that he was making, it would have never been able to take control. Lex was too strong for that. Anything less than her betrayal, and he would not have broken. She knew that with absolute certainty. She had caused him to fall. Would she be the one to betray him as well?

She thought about that for a moment. Zod was dangerous. According to Lois, who got her information straight from Clark, it was scientifically impossible to escape from the Phantom Zone. Since his escape was beyond the scope of science, there was a chance that even with an attuned transference crystal, Zod could not be removed from Lex's body. To stop Zod, they might be forced to kill him. Which meant they might be forced to kill Lex. Would she be the one to betray him, to give up on him for some silly greater good?

No, she realized. She couldn't. She would not give up on him. She would protect him, against Clark and Lois if she had to. She would try everything in her power to get him back, but she wouldn't let anyone hurt him. Ever. She would give up her life before she would let anyone hurt Lex. He had already done as much to save her; there was no doubt in her mind that she would return the favor, if called upon to do so.

It did give her some comfort, finally understanding everything that had happened in the last several days. She was still struggling with feelings of worthlessness after what had happened to her, what had been done to her. But she understood now. It wasn't her worthlessness that had caused the Destroyer to target her, to do all of those things to her while possessing the men who had...she pushed the thought away, unwilling to dwell on it...it was her strength, her love for Lex and his love in return that had made her a target. It still gave her little comfort, knowing that she was the only one capable of making Lex fall...but as she thought about it, she wondered if the opposite was true as well. If she had the power to make him fall, did she also have the power to bring him back? To make him stronger?

Another tingle formed along her spine, and she frowned and turned around. Could it really be?

Her eyes widened in surprise. She saw Lex...Zod...descending to the ground, a clear crystal in his hand. It was similar to the one that she had touched to Lex the day before, the one Lois had retrieved...had it really been three years?...ago during her and Clark's body switch. The only differences were that the one Zod held was clear, and there was no Kryptonian symbol etched into it. She suddenly recognized it. Though it still did lack the Kryptonian etchings, it was otherwise exactly like the one Clark had used while in Lois' body to temporarily regain his powers.

Zod looked at her coldly, a speck of rage evident just behind his eyes. When he spoke, it was with a mixture of anger and some other emotion she couldn't quite place. "Where are they? Where is Kal-El and his bride?"

She was too afraid and too much in shock to answer.

"Where are they? They will pay for what they have done! They will pay for taking her away from me. For letting her die." His voice cracked ever so slightly. "He should have saved her. He will pay for that mistake."

Chloe shook her head in disbelief. How? How could he still love her that much? Even after she betrayed him?

He took a step towards her, and spoke much more calmly, yet with a very serious tone. "You will take me too them now, or you will die."

A plan formed in her mind, and she took a step towards him and offered him her hand. "I will take you there."

He nodded, picked her up with one arm, and took off into the sky. "Show me the way."

* * *

Clark landed just outside Metropolis Medical Center and glanced around for an unoccupied nurse, assistant, or anyone else that might be able to take the package he held in his hands. But everyone was busy, either occupied with someone or on their way to someone. It reminded him of the state of the emergency rooms just after the bombing on Saturday, only here, everyone seemed more in control. Their was no panic, only hurried activity.

Clark's ears continued to take in the activity around the city as he waited to catch the attention of someone nearby. A small fire at the eastern edge of the city, but firefighters had already responded and were handling it well; two thieves contemplating breaking into a jewelry store, only to dismiss the idea when an army hummer drove down the street on its patrol; the sound of police sirens blazing as an ambulance transported an injured woman to the nearest response center; it seemed that the city was nearly back to being capable of self-sustaining itself.

A doctor noticed him standing there, and motioned to one of the nurses. She nodded and left the patient she was attending to as the doctor took over.

"Superman? May I help you?"

The nurse was young, Clark guessed in her early twenties, and lacked the dark circles under her eyes that many of her coworkers shared. She must have just recently arrived.

He held up his package. "Medical supplies flown in from Kansas City. I heard they were needed here."

Her eyes brightened like a child on Christmas Day. "Thank you! We weren't expecting them for another hour. This is...thank you." She took the package and nearly skipped over to the doctor. "He brought the medical supplies from Kansas City."

"Get them over to Jason right away. He knows which patients are waiting for them."

She nodded in reply and then joined the rest of the ordered confusion as she hurried off down the hall.

Clark exited the building and took off into the sky, and a few seconds later he landed outside the jewelry store, looked and waved at the two would-be thieves, and took off to help the firefighters put out the apartment fire.

Everyone had already been safely evacuated, and the firefighters were now focusing their efforts on quenching the flames. Clark made short work of them, dousing them out with his breath, and returned to the skies to find somewhere else that he might be needed.

Clark began sweeping the city, allowing his thoughts to drift. This part was automatic; he could fly around the city and search for any signs of trouble or need almost in his sleep.

He was excited and nervous about talking to Lois that evening. He wanted to hear everything about her day, to know how her and Chloe's conversation had gone, to know what she had been thinking about, what had troubled her and what had made her happy. He wanted to talk to her about the restraint she had recently been exorcising, to know why she had chosen to do so and to tell her how much it meant to him, no matter the reason behind it. And he wanted to tell her about the bout of clarity that he had had early that morning and that had been occupying his thoughts for most of the day. He knew he should have recognized the signs sooner, but all the distractions had kept his mind from having the time to focus on the reason behind their new connection. Ironic, as after making the discovery, it was all he could think about.

What would Lois think? How would she react? Would she be excited, like he was? Would she be fearful that their relationship would change, also like he was? Did she already know? He hoped not. He wanted to be there to see each stage of her reaction. But she was smart, and she had access to his knowledge and memories. If faced with all the pieces, he was sure she would put them all together, and much faster than he had. Really, it was just a matter of time before she figured it out for herself. Which was why it was so important that he talk to her as soon as he possibly could.

Clark spent another ten minutes sweeping the city. He listened and watched, but nothing came up that required his skill set. Finally satisfied, he turned around and sped home. He smiled. It seemed he might be able to make it back for breakfast after all.

* * *

Lois finished up rinsing off the dishes, sighing as she glanced at the lone plate left on the table, still filled with food. She hadn't expected Clark to return to eat with her, Chloe, and Lily, but she was still disappointed that she hadn't been able to share it with him. It would have been a double bonus. His presence would have indicated that the city was on the mend, and he would have been there, which was its own reward.

She mentally argued with herself for a moment, trying to decide what to do with the plate of food. She really should wrap it up and put it away, but she was still hoping that she wouldn't have to. Sighing, she took the plate and headed to the counter to find some foil.

"Is that for me?"

Lois turned around and her faced brightened. "Clark!" She set the plate back on the table and welcomed him with a deep kiss. "You're home!"

He smiled and laughed. "And with a reunion like that, no wonder I go out so often."

She smirked, shook her head, and hit him playfully on the chest. "You should stick around to see what I do with you when you don't leave. Then see which you prefer," she said seductively. Pausing for dramatic effect, she added, "I showered all alone this morning."

Clark couldn't argue with that, so he leaned down and kissed her again. "I'll have to make it up to you later." He paused, sniffing the air and looking down hungrily at the plate of bacon, eggs, and biscuits and gravy. "For me?"

Lois smiled and nodded, leaving his side to go to the refrigerator and grab a gallon of orange juice. He was already seated and digging in as she filled him a glass and placed it in front of him. She left the jug on the table and sat down across from him.

"How is it out there?"

"Better," he said between bites. "Recovering. There are so many people here helping...it amazes me."

"I heard. The paper this morning said that over two hundred thousand people had made the trip up to help. They had to start turning people away, as there wasn't anywhere else to put them to work at."

Clark nodded. "I think the biggest challenge now will be finding places for the homeless to live until what has been torn down can be rebuilt. It is going to be a long time before everything in Metropolis returns to normal."

"'Lark! 'Lark! 'Lark!"

Clark turned to greet the excited young girl and opened his arms to her. She jumped into them and hugged him warmly. Then she settled into his lap and began her usurpation of the conversation.

"Teddy flying like Supes!" she exclaimed, demonstrating for him, moving the bear back and forth in the air, adding sound effects as she went.

Lois smiled as she took in Clark's reaction to the bear's clothing. Blue pants, a red shirt, with a yellow shield emblem drawn with permanent marker onto the front. She saw him suppress a groan, no doubt realizing that what he was seeing was the first in a long line of children's toys and accessories bearing his image.

Lily climbed out of his lap as she continued her flying motions into the other room, apparently now content to continue to play alone.

Clark frowned. "Where's Chloe?"

"She went for a walk to clear her head. I told her the whole story, about Zod, the Destroyer, Krypton. She's got a lot to think about and process."

He nodded, but the frown did no leave his face. "She didn't take her car?" He looked over his shoulder before answering his own question with a shake of his head. He looked up at Lois with a worried look in his eyes.

"Clark, what is it?"

"I don't hear her."

"What do you mean?"

"I've been listening to the sound of her voice and her breathing since her kidnapping. Not really listening to the words she says, just the sound of her voice. It helped calm me down, knowing she was all right. Like it does when I listen to your heartbeat. But I don't hear her anymore..." He paused, thinking. "I don't think I've heard her for a while, actually. When did she leave exactly?"

"I'm not sure. Half an hour ago? Maybe less. She's not in the area? Or not in the city?"

He answered her about a minute later. "Not in the city. Do you think...?"

Lois nodded as fear for her cousin gripped her. "Zod."

* * *

"There."

Zod landed at the spot she indicated, setting her down and taking a step back, trying to suppress the thoughts that were running rampant in his head. It was a little unnerving, reacting to a woman the way he was when there were no feelings to speak of. He could care less what happened to her...he would probably kill her too after he had finished with Kal-El and his bride, just for her association with them, which made it all the more unnerving for his body to be drawn to her. It was obvious that the body's previous owner had been attracted to her, at the very least, but that hardly mattered. It didn't change anything about who he was or who he loved. Who he had loved.

Another flicker of rage and sadness rushed through him, but he buried the sadness again and focused on the rage. Mira was dead, and Jor-El's son lived. Such should never be. If anyone should have been saved, it should have been Mira. Not the worthless offspring of the man behind everything that had gone wrong. If Jor-El had not been so happy, if Lara had not been so beautiful, he would have been able to see past Mira's plainness and gotten a glimpse of her true beauty. If not for Jor-El, he would never have left with Hela, and Krypton would never have been destroyed. He would be with Mira right then, not suppressing mourning her death.

Chloe began to move, and he followed her, not really conscious of the action. His mind was too focused on his thoughts to recognize what his body was doing.

Something caught his eye, and abruptly he stopped and looked around. He was in a cave, and scattered around the walls were cave paintings...of Kryptonian legends. There was Naman and Segeeth, the representation of the idea that all men had two natures, good and evil. The idea had long been dismissed in Kryptonian society, replaced by the belief that all people were inherently good, but given everything that had happened in his own life, he wondered if there wasn't more truth to it than he thought.

There were other legends, as well. Tales of long forgotten heroes and even a very old description of Rao's creation of their race.

One legend in specific caught his eye, and he was once again overwhelmed with a combination of sorrow and rage. Had that legend died when the rest of the legends had, perhaps he wouldn't be where he was, perhaps Mira would still be alive.

He stared at the image for a moment, looking at the turquoise diamond in its center. The legend of...he spent a few moments attempting to think of a good translation of the Kryptonian word. There wasn't an exact English word to match it. Soulmate came close, but even that fell short. A combination of destiny, love, and responsibility aptly described the philosophy.

Once or twice in a generation, a couple would be singled out by the cosmos as belonging to each other. The fabric of the universe itself depended on the couple being together, or so the legend went, and Rao had blessed the people of Krypton with the knowledge to identify these people. And thus once or twice in a generation, a couple would be brought together, against their will, and forced to wed. How such an archaic practice had survived the scientific and sociological development of Krypton's last thousand years was beyond his understanding.

If not for the law, he would not have been forced to marry Mira before he had been ready, and he would not have left. Mira would still be alive, and he would be with her.

He would have come around eventually. He had come around eventually. It had simply been too late. But if the ancient law had not still been around, he would have had the time to adjust.

Zod squeezed his hand tighter around the crystal in his hand, anger burning through him. It was time for justice.

He looked ahead and saw Chloe standing beside a smooth wall, an octagonal indent in its center. He approached it and placed the crystal over the opening, and the interface sprung to life. Recognizing an intruder, the defenses quickly went into place, but Zod knew his way around the security protocols. Concentrating, he broke through the defenses one by one, then activated the appropriate sequence, opening the door to the inner chamber. He could have simply powered through the rock, but it was much more of a demonstration of his power to override the protections without the appropriate key. That was, if the woman beside him even understood the significance of his feat.

Entering the inner chamber, he saw the round tablet in the center, and worked his magic once again, breaking down the defenses and activating the sequence. Intense light flashed around him, and he found himself suddenly surrounded by white, a castle of crystal visible in the distance.

Of course. After Krypton had been destroyed, Kal-El would have to have set up a power base on Earth in order to study the now lost lore of their people. The three crystals had been hidden on Earth for centuries, monitoring and downloading the new scientific and historical knowledge as it was discovered on Krypton, serving as a backup in case the original vault of knowledge was destroyed. Just as the crystal Zod had hidden when he had come here previously had done. Of course Kal-El would have tracked them down and brought them together.

He smiled. It was fitting, that the end of the last Kryptonian would take place inside a replica of Krypton's surface. There was no more fitting a place for this final showdown.

Zod shook his head and smiled. If Kal-El thought he would be protected here, he had no understanding of who he was dealing with. He wouldn't know what killed him.

* * *

Chloe shivered, looking around at the vast blanket of white and the towering crystal castle in the background. She'd never actually been to the fortress before, a small hiccup in her plan. She really hadn't thought things through, had she?

Chloe shivered again and hugged her stomach for warmth. Lois had talked about her visits several times in the past, and mentioned that it was cold, but she hadn't said it was this cold. It was so cold she could barely think about the fact that it was cold. Her shivering made it hard to think about much of anything.

A sudden gust of wind dug sharp needles into her skin, and she closed her eyes and tried to shut it out. Just as quickly as it had come, it was gone, and her skin began to warm. _What?_

Chloe opened her eyes and looked around. She was in the fortress...in what must have been Lois and Clark's room. The bed, the shelves, the tv...there wasn't any other explanation. But how had she made it to their room? She hadn't even been able to see straight.

She turned and saw Lex...she quickly closed her eyes and shook her head clear...Zod standing beside her, looking at her curiously. There was still anger in his eyes, but it was latent, and somehow she felt that it wasn't directed at her. Her heart jumped with hope. Was Lex fighting Zod, even now, like he had the Destroyer?

"Kal-El is not here."

Chloe tried to think quickly. "They were."

She suppressed a groan. _Great Chloe. Way to think on your feet._

He nodded. "They will come. This will end here."

_Okay...easier than I thought._ Now to find a way to get to the console and retrieve the crystal. And then to tune it so that it removed Zod only, instead of switching their bodies. _Okay, I really didn't think this through. Way to go Chloe!_

Several minutes passed, and neither of them moved. It appeared that they would be waiting for Lois and Clark to come find them. Which meant that she would be spending as long as it took them to realize that she was gone and then track her down with Zod. _Awkward much?_

Sighing, Chloe walked over to the bed and sat down. If she was going to be there for a while, she might as well get comfortable.

Ten minutes passed, and she continued to sit there as he continued to stare at her. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore.

"So, Zod, is it? What's your story?"

* * *

"Stop pacing, Lois! You're going to wear holes in your shoes."

"I have fifteen hundred other pair! I can afford to wear down a few if I have to."

"Well I can't concentrate when you're doing it. I'll never hear Chloe if you keep pacing back and forth like that."

"I'm nervous, afraid, and bubbling over with not-being-able-to-help energy. If I don't pace, I'll go insane! And going insane won't help get Chloe back."

"Well you need to use that not-being-able-to-help energy to help me by sitting still for five seconds so I can concentrate!"

"I won't be able to sit still until you find her! So find her, and I'll sit still so you can concentrate on finding her so I'll be able to sit still so you can find her!"

"What?"

Lois stopped pacing for a moment, setting herself towards Clark and looking at him. "That didn't make any sense, did it?"

Clark shook his head.

She began pacing again, pondering for a moment.

"Lois, you're still pacing."

"Smallville, you're still not looking for her."

She paused, and Clark took a deep breath, then exhaled it slowly.

"I'm going to go pace in the other room."

Clark nodded. "Okay."

Lois went into their bedroom and closed the door behind her, putting her heals to torturing the bedroom carpet instead. It was all too much. She couldn't think straight when her family was in danger and there was nothing she could do to help. Not-being-able-to-help energy was the worst energy of all. It confused everything. Even their normal banter and teasing turned into fighting when not-being-able-to-help energy was involved.

Lois was taken aback. Had they really just fought? No, not really. Not quite a fight. They just hadn't been supportive of each other, as they normally were. Clark hadn't empathized with her stress and fear and she hadn't empathized with his and they had had a not quite fight instead of a mutually supporting and mutually strengthening talk.

Lois shook her head and muttered to herself in frustration. This was ridiculous. Unsupportive was a hated word when it came anywhere near her or Clark. She hated herself for not helping him, but she really was going to go insane if she didn't find something to do with her excess energy.

It hit her then that there was a way for her to help and calm herself at the same time, and she cursed herself for not thinking of it sooner. She took a deep breath to calm herself, then left the bedroom and sat down next to Clark on the couch, taking his hand. He squeezed it, lending her his strength and making her feel that somehow, someway, it would be all right. Her frantic heart began to slow, and though her fears did not fade, somehow she was able to bear it.

Clark's eyes shot open in a start. "I found her!"

"Really? Where is she?"

"She's at the fortress, with Zod."

"Is she okay? Is she hurt? What's happening?"

"She's..." He paused, frowning. "Um, they're talking."

"What?"

* * *

"But if you left with Hela, how did you fall in love with Mira?"

Zod suppressed a frown. He hated hearing her name. He hated mentioning her, acknowledging her existence in any way. How had he ever seen anything in Hela, when the most amazing woman in the universe had been offering herself to him?

"After I was captured, I spent three weeks confined before the Elders decided my sentence. The Entity had already gained what it could from me, and so I was left alone. Mira came and visited me twice a day for an hour, the maximum visiting time I was allowed. She talked to me, assured me, brought me food, and reaffirmed her love for me through her actions. I had never stopped to spend any time with her before. I had never had the chance to realize how amazing she was. But as she visited me in my cell, I was forced to really look at her. She was the the only person I saw for that entire three week period, and I saw her every day. It only took me a few days to fall in love with her. And then my love grew stronger each day after that. I really only knew her for three weeks, and it feels like I've known her for years."

"Wow. That's so fast. It took me a lot longer to realize I was in love with Lex. I-" She paused, and Zod waited for her to continue, wondering if she would this time. Her Lex had come up three times during their conversation, and each time she had stopped and changed or redirected the subject. And no wonder! He could imagine how hard it was for her to sit and talk to him when even the tone of his voice reminded her of her Lex. He was sad for her loss, but there wasn't anything he could do about it. His control of her Lex's body was not like the Entity's control of his own body in the past. It wasn't like her Lex was trapped in a white room, forced to watch everything that happened while unable to exert any influence. As far as he could tell, there was nothing of Lex left. He had access to no memories, no thoughts, no knowledge. There was no voice in the back of his mind, whispering to him. The only part of her Lex that seemed to be left was the physical body, and along with it the chemical attraction to Chloe that had annoyed him earlier.

"I..." she continued, "I just think that's so amazing. What did you two talk about?"

And sure enough, she had redirected the conversation.

Zod began telling her about his conversations with Mira. He knew them all by heart. Every moment that he had spent with her was etched into his mind permanently. He could recall every word she had ever spoken, every look she had ever given him. Every touch...as infrequent as it had happened. During their entire time together, with the exception of one day, she had only touched him three times.

His thoughts and his conversation suddenly shifted to that one day, the last day he had ever seen her. A day he would never forget.

* * *

_Elders' Chambers, Krypton, 1988_

"Zod, for your crimes against the people of Krypton and against the laws of this great planet, you have been sentenced, by a four to one vote, to be banished to the Phantom Zone for the remainder of your natural life."

_No!_ Fear gripped Zod. He had known that banishment was one possible outcome of the trial, but a Kryptonian had never been banished before, and thus he had hardly expected it. Banishment to the Phantom Zone was worse than any other fate. He would be separated from Mira forever, never to see her again.

"As Kryptonian law requires, you will be given one last request, which will be granted in all cases except where it conflicts with this ruling according to the opinion of the Elders, or, in the case that it specifically involves another person, at their consent. A denial of this request in either instance will forfeit this right, and punishment will proceed immediately.

"Do you understand these rights as they have been described to you?"

"Yes."

"Are you ready to state your request before this body, these witnesses, and the Elders?"

Zod nodded. There was only one thing that he wanted that had any possibility at all of being granted. "Yes. I request to have one day to spend alone, unsupervised, and unmonitored with Mira before my sentence is carried out."

A commotion fell over the room, and one of the witnesses stood up and shouted, "Absolutely not!"

"Silence!" Mor-Sha, the oldest member of the Elders, sounded with authority. A quick hush fell over the room.

The Elders deliberated for a moment, then informed the speaker of their decision. "It is the decision of the Elders that your request does not conflict with their ruling. Your request does, however, involve another person, and is subject to denial on that basis. Is the individual in question, Mira, currently present?"

"I am."

Zod looked towards the sound of the voice, recognizing it instantly. She was standing in the far back corner of the room, likely the reason he hadn't spotted her when he had been escorted in.

"Would you please inform this body, these witnesses, and the Elders of your decision? Shall the request be granted, or denied?"

"This is ridiculous!" the same loud voice as before yelled. "I am her father and legal guardian, and I should be allowed to make the decision!"

A murmur of voices again began to echo off the walls of the room, and once again the room was quieted with a single, authoritative word. "Silence!"

The Elders deliberated amongst themselves for several minutes, arguing in hushed voices before finally nodding and informing the speaker of their decision.

"It is the decision of the Elders that the individual, Mira, will be allowed to make the decision herself. She is of legal age, and has been for many years.

"Mira, do you understand the request as it has been stated?"

"Yes."

"Would you please inform this body, these witnesses, and the Elders of your decision? Shall the request be granted, or denied?"

"I, under my own authority and in my right mind, have decided to grant Zod's request."

The speaker began to speak, then stopped abruptly in stunned silence. As Zod looked around with a smile on his face, he noticed that the stunned silence extended to everyone else in the room. Apparently everyone had expected her to say no.

After a few more moments of concentration, the speaker regained his composure and continued. "The approval of this request has been heard by this body, these witnesses, and the Elders. As Kryptonian law requires, this request will be granted and immediately following, punishment will proceed."

"No! This is out of the question! You cannot allow that monster to be alone with my daughter unsupervised! He'll kill her!"

The flood of conversation once again filled the room, and the arguing steadily grew in volume as the minutes passed. "Her father is right. Zod is a monster. Not fit to be a Kryptonian. He doesn't deserve to be given the same rights as the rest of us," he heard one man say. As he listened to the growing contention in the room, he knew that almost everyone was in agreement.

Mor-Sha stood, and the room quickly quieted down. He continued to stand until all that were present had stopped talking and retaken their seats. When he spoke, his voice was filled with sadness.

"I understand everyone's concern. It is a sad thing, what has taken place here today. But the law must be followed. There is no room for flexibility. Mira has made her decision, and the law gives me no power to overrule her. We are Kryptonians. Our laws and our devotion to justice is what sets us apart from the rest of the horrors of the galaxy. Zod dishonored what it means to be a Kryptonian through his actions, and his banishment to the Phantom Zone is a fitting punishment for his crimes. But we cannot interfere, or we are no different than he is. Zod will be granted his request, and anyone that attempts to interfere in any way will be dealt with in the same manner as Zod has been today."

Finished, he sat down and nodded to the speaker.

"The meeting of this body is adjourned. Guards, escort Zod and Mira to the meeting room."

No one moved to stop them. Hate radiated from everyone's eyes as Zod passed them to exit the room, but no one got up.

Mira joined him at the back of the room and took his hand. He squeezed it, thanking her silently with his eyes. She smiled brightly in return.

The guards escorted them to the meeting room, informing them that someone would be with them shortly. As soon as they were alone, Zod leaned over and whispered four words he had never spoken before in sequence.

"I love you, Mira."

"I love you too, Zod."

* * *

What had followed had been the best and worst day of his entire life. That one day felt like a lifetime, but it had ended, and he had been forced to leave her, knowing that he would never see her again. That she would be alone and without him, and it had torn at his heart, as he had finally understood how much that would hurt her. He had felt it himself.

Zod looked over at Chloe as he finished his story, and was surprised by the tears streaming down her face. He watched her in shock as she sniffled, tried to dry her eyes, and shook her head, over and over. Who was this woman, that could even cry for her enemy?

"It's not fair. They shouldn't have taken you away from her. She spent her whole life loving you, and when she finally got what she had always wanted, it was torn away from her forever." Her eyes widened suddenly, the grief leaving her momentarily as excitement replaced it. "There's a chance that she left, isn't there? That she made it off the planet before it was destroyed? She could still be out there somewhere!"

_What? Who is this woman?_

"No. My crystal monitored and downloaded everything that happened on Krypton in my absence. She didn't leave. She stayed, to the very end, trying to prevent the inevitable. She's gone."

The excitement left her as she took in his words, and she took his hand and shook her head once more. "I'm so sorry."

Zod shook his head in disbelief. Somehow, he knew she meant it. _How is that possible?_

* * *

"So what is our plan again, exactly?"

Clark looked back at Lois as she followed him into the Kawachi caves and shrugged. "Rescue Chloe?"

Lois rolled her eyes. "That's not a plan, Smallville. We can't just go waltzing in there without any idea of what we're going to do."

"That's what I normally do."

"Yes, but...really? You just make it up as you go?"

"Pretty much. Most of the time I don't know what is going on until I get there, and then I assess the situation as quickly as I can and decide what to do."

"But that's just so...rash."

"I don't usually have a choice. I hear that there's trouble, and I go to it. I don't have much time to act, so I do what I can and once I get there."

"Huh. Well, we have the option of time this time, since you said that Chloe isn't in any immediate danger. We need to have a plan."

"Do you have any ideas?"

Clark watched Lois as paused, deep in thought. After a few moments, she shook her head. "Nope, I've got nothing."

"Me either."

"Well, that's just-" The ringing of a phone interrupted her, and she pulled it out of her pocket and answered it. "Hello?...Yes...What?...But she was improving so...I know there's nothing you can do...I...Thanks for letting me know." She hung up the phone and all the color drained from her face. "Lucy...she...she's slipped into a coma."

Clark pulled her into his arms and hugged her. She didn't cry, but he knew she was threatening to. He could feel the conflict and sadness pouring off of her. "I'm so sorry, Lois."

He held her for several minutes, until she pulled away and took a deep breath. "I can take you to her. It'll only take us a minute or so to get there, and I'd-"

"No. It's out of the question. I'm not letting you face him alone."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. I can't do anything for her right now. But I can help Chloe. We don't know what we'll be walking into. You saw him in Lex's penthouse. He could have Kryptonite for all we know. Lex still had on the ring the last time we saw him. I can't let you face that alone, and we'll have a better chance if we're there together."

Clark nodded. He took her hand and squeezed it, offering her his strength and support. "Are you ready? Or do you need a few more minutes?"

"The sooner this is over, the better. Let's go."

She squeezed his hand in return, and the two of them went further into the cave and through the open inner wall.

Clark inserted the key into the center tablet, and took a deep breath. "Here goes nothing."

* * *

Zod sat down just inside the entrance of Kal-El's fortress, wanting to be alone to think and knowing that Chloe would stay in the bedchamber, where she could stay warm. He hadn't realized that the temperature was so vastly different here than it had been in the caves until he had seen her quickly freezing to death. If she had been left in the weather for a few more minutes, frostbite would have set in, and she would not have survived much longer after that. As it was, the severe temperatures were a natural prison for Chloe, allowing him to leave her unattended without much fear of escape. And sitting near the entrance would give him fair warning when Kal-El and his bride returned, if they used the caves to make the trip. If not, he would hear them long before they arrived.

Everything was so much clearer now. Some of this clarity was due to the time he had had to process everything, but the major contributor was the perspective that his conversation with Chloe had given him. There was something to be said for telling another person about your life, forcing you to think about what had actually happened and the reasons why you had acted as you had.

It was his fault. All of it. He was the catalyst behind it all. If he had never been born, Krypton would still be orbiting Rao, and Mira, if she existed, would still be alive.

Would she have? He didn't know. The legend of Soulmates seemed to imply that without one, the other would not exist. Two were born to be one, and the universe itself worked to bring them together, else all descend into chaos. He had never believed in the stories before, but after everything that had happened, it was too implausible to believe anything else. He and Mira had not ended up together, and the universe had descended into chaos. Jor-El and Lara, and in turn Kal-El and his human bride, had, and Earth had survived the onslaught of the Entity. The same could not be said for the rest of the region. Without the guiding light that was Krypton, the civilizations around it had quickly fallen into disarray and then been consumed by the Entity's hunger. A region of space that had once been home to hundreds of distinct races had quickly become as lifeless as most of the rest of the galaxy.

It was ironic that the people of Earth had learned of the existence of life outside their solar system in a time that found them very much alone in their corner of the galaxy. He could see Kal-El's revelation to this world spawning an age of scientific advancement and interest in space travel. But it would be for naught. Only a few civilizations were left to be found, and it would be many decades, if not centuries before the technology was developed that could allow them to travel such great distances in a short enough period of time to make relations between their species and the others viable. The only interactions that Earth would ever have with another species in the near future would be with Kal-El and his descendants or the occasional lone survivor of one of the consumed worlds. And the former would be taken out of the picture shortly.

Kal-El had to die. Yes, it was his own actions that had lead him to where he was, but that didn't make Jor-El's lack of action toward Mira's well being any less of a mistake. The threat the Entity faced was gone. Kal-El's place in history was complete. He would have his vengeance.

Zod stood and prepared himself for the coming battle. The moment was almost upon him. He could almost feel the electricity in the air as the portal from the caves began to activate. In a moment, Kal-El and his bride would be dead, at his hand. Justice would be served. At last.

* * *

_Where is it?_

Chloe frantically searched the cabinets, the bed, the bathroom...nothing. It had to be there. She had to find it. It was her only chance. Lois always left it at the fortress. Why would she have moved it?

She returned to the bedroom and said a silent prayer of thanks. It was there, just on top of the TV. She made her way over to the crystal and took it in her hands, looking out the doorway to make sure Zod was still off thinking, again silently thanking her luck.

A calming, kind, soft voice resonated in her mind, and despite her fear, she felt at ease.

"_Chloe Sullivan. Welcome._"

Chloe concentrated, attempting to direct her thoughts into the crystal. It wouldn't due for Zod to hear her conversation with Lara. "_Can you hear me?_"

"_Yes, young daughter._"

"_How do you know my name?_"

"_Lois has spoken of you often, on her many visits here. She loves you dearly. I had wondered if I would meet you one day, and I am thankful that I have. You are every bit as beautiful as she described._"

Chloe blushed slightly. "_Thank you, Lara. But I'm afraid Lois didn't bring me here. Zod did._"

"_Zod?! He escaped? How?_"

"_I'm not quite sure. He came in spirit only. He somehow has possessed my boyfriend, taking over control of his body. He has found out about Krypton's destruction, and wants to kill Clark and Lois to avenge Mira's death. He blames your husband for letting her die, and I don't know what to do._"

"_How is he planning on killing Kal-El? Your boyfriend is human, is he not?_"

"_He has a Kryptonite ring, and some kind of crystal that restores his powers as long as he is touching it. I tried talking to him, but I don't know how much good it did. He is so full of sorrow and anger, and his anger seems to be drowning out his sorrow. I think the sorrow is too much for him to bear. I'm still afraid he means to kill them._"

"_You are very brave, young daughter._"

"_I don't feel brave. I don't know what to do. The transfer crystal is gone. We used it already to capture the Destroyer and banish it to the Phantom Zone. I don't know how else to stop him. I don't know how else to save Lex._"

"_I knew Lois would find a way! Praise Rao, the Destroyer has been banished!_"

"_Lara, I don't know how much time I have. He could come back at any moment._"

"_Forgive me, young daughter, for my excitement. The Destroyer has long been a plague to this galaxy, and I had almost lost hope._

"_Young daughter, there is still a chance to stop Zod, and save the one you love. If I am guessing right, the magic that empowers the Destroyer allowed Zod to transfer his being into Lex, taking control. I have seen magical possession in the past. The host is unaware and unable to exert any influence, but he is still there. The only way to break a possession is to destroy the source of the power or for the possessor to release himself willingly._"

"_But the Destroyer is in the Phantom Zone. How can I destroy it?_"

"_You cannot. But there is still a chance to convince Zod to change his ways. There is one woman that he listens to and trusts more than himself, someone I believe he would do anything for._"

"_Mira? But isn't she dead?_"

"_Not entirely. Like Jor-El and I, Mira transferred her consciousness into a crystal and transmitted it to Earth. Her consciousness is still stored in a crystal like this one. You must take this crystal and insert it into the main console, and she will be able to speak through the fortress, as Jor-El has in the past. And then pray that Zod listens to her. That is your only chance._"

"_Where is the crystal?_"

"_I have activated it. It will be hovering above the console just outside this room._

"_Now hurry, Chloe. May the light guide you._"

The glow faded, and Chloe put set the crystal back on top of the TV.

A loud crash sounded from the other room, and she looked out to see Clark attempting to pull himself off the ground, a bit of blood dripping from his mouth. Before he could stand, Zod was on him, picking him up and throwing him across the room again, sending him crashing into the far wall and then falling thirty feet to the ground. He didn't get up. _Clark!_

* * *

Zod smiled in victory. It was almost too easy. Kal-El had barely put up a fight. Yet it gave him no less satisfaction, seeing his motionless body on the ground.

He turned to his bride, reveling in her horror stricken face. "Your turn."

"Bastard!" She charged him, but he easily sidestepped her and sent her to the ground. He dropped the crystal to the ground and put himself into a ready position. It would take away his fun to kill her quickly.

She picked herself off the ground and charged him again, and just as effortlessly, he dodged her blow and followed it up with a hard punch to her face. She doubled over, but didn't go down, and he kneed her in the stomach and then sent a hard elbow into the back of her head. She hit the ground and rolled over slowly, and he shook his head. She was even more pathetic than Kal-El.

The next thing he knew, his feet were knocked out from under him and he was falling to the ground hard. She was up before he was, and sent a kick to his stomach that connected painfully, and another one that he just barely blocked. She continued to attack him, keeping him on the defensive, and Zod suddenly wondered at the wisdom of letting go of the crystal.

Patiently, Zod continued to block her attacks, studying her form and style, waiting for the opportunity to strike. She was good. He'd give her that. But she didn't have two decades of fighting experience under her belt, and his body was stronger than hers.

She began a swing that he recognized, and he caught her by the hand and used her momentum to flip her over. He held onto her hand as she did, and heard the satisfying crack as her arm dislocated out of its socket. She screamed out in pain, and he dropped her hand and kicked her hard in the side.

He pulled the knife from his belt. It was time to finish this. To finish them both. For Mira.

"_Stop!_"

What?

"_Zod, stop! Please...stop. Don't hurt them._"

It had to be a trick. "Mira?"

"_It's me._"

"No. You died on Krypton. If there had been any hope...but you didn't leave."

"_I couldn't leave. There wasn't time. Not to get off the planet. There was only enough time to transfer my consciousness here. To wait for you._"

Could it really be? Was she really still alive?

"I thought I lost you."

"_And so you what, thought you would honor my memory by killing Jor-El's son? To continue the destruction and loss of life that you started when you refused to be with me?_"

The anger and edge in her voice stung him. "I..."

"_You what, Zod? You what? There is no excuse for what you have done here today. There is no excuse. I can understand how hard it was for you to lose me. I had to go through that myself. It is so...so hard for me to love you when I look at all that you have done. Look at what you have become! Look at what you have done! Your actions doomed Krypton, and now you're coming to Earth to continue the bloodshed? Why?_"

"Because I love you."

"_No, Zod. No. If you loved me, you would follow in my example. You wouldn't do what I hate. You wouldn't hurt the people that I love._"

"You love?" She loved them?

"_Yes, Zod. That I love. Jor-El. Lara. My friends. And their beautiful son, who I fell in love with the first moment I saw. He was such a beautiful child, and his innocence and love was evident even then. And you would snuff out their legacy, when it is because of them that anyone is still alive. The Entity would not have stopped until every sentient being in the universe had been consumed. They fought the Entity on Krypton, and their son has continued their legacy and removed the greatest threat to life in the universe. And you would repay them with death? Who are you?_"

"Mira, I..." He didn't know what to say. There was nothing to say. She was right. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I let you down. I'm not a good man. I never have been."

"_But you can be. I've seen it. You can't bring back those that died because of you. But you can redeem yourself._"

"How?" How could he make up for so many mistakes?

"_Let go._"

"What?" And be without her? After he finally had a chance to be with her again?

"_Let go of this body. Release your hold on it. Make up for the love that we were never able to share by giving them a chance to find it._"

Them? "Who?"

"_Are you really that blind? Can't you see how she looks at you? She loves the man that you have taken from her. Give him back to her. Give them a chance to find what we were never able to have. Let go._"

The hold on the body he was in had already begun to lift. As her words sunk in, he knew that she was right. It wasn't much. It didn't make up for what he had done. But Chloe was an amazing woman, just like his Mira. She deserved to be happy. He could at least give her that.

He felt himself fading, and suddenly he was afraid. His fear gripped him, and he tried to come back, to take back control. But it was too late. The choice had already been made.

He slipped away into darkness. And then there was nothing.

.

.

.

.

Thought came to him again. It was still dark, but he was aware. He saw a single star in the distance, and a phrase came to his mind. _May the light guide you._

He went towards it. The star grew brighter, lighting up the sky. And he saw her. _Mira._ A beacon of beauty. With him. At last.

Redemption. It was all he could have hoped for.


	21. Conversations

**Chapter Nineteen - Conversations**

Lois winced as she tried to shift herself up, pain shooting through her right shoulder. She looked at it for a moment and winced again...it was clearly dislocated, and realizing that fact only made it hurt more.

She took a quick inventory of the rest of her body. Her ribs, her back, and her legs hurt, but none of them hurt as much as her shoulder, so she guessed that they weren't broken. It still hurt to move, and it was a struggle to think clearly with so much pain, but she forced her thoughts into focus and propped herself up on one arm to take a look around.

_Clark!_ Lois bit back the pain and made herself get up. She stumbled, picked herself up, and stumbled again. Finally, she settled for crawling one-handed, scooting her way across the cold floor of the fortress to where Clark had fallen unconscious. She made her way to his side and checked his breathing. Slow and weak, but still there. His pulse was also weak, and it was growing weaker. _Damn it!_

She had to move him. If she could get him into the sunlight, his body would do the rest. _Come on, Clark, hold in there for me._

Lois grimaced as she realized what she would need to do next. _This is going to hurt a lot._ She tried to stand, but settled for sitting up on her knees, letting her right arm hang down loosely. She gritted her teeth and squinted back the pain, exploring her shoulder gently with her left hand. She gripped her biceps, grabbed under Clark's chest with her right hand and pulled, using her left hand to keep the arm straight. She gasped in pain as the shoulder set back into place, but she shook it off, knowing that the worst was behind her.

Her cries drew the attention to herself, and she glanced up to see Lex and Chloe walking over, hand in hand. Chloe looked at her with concern. "Lois, are you okay?"

A groan from Clark drew her attention away from them. He was grimacing in pain, though still unconscious. What was happening?

It suddenly clicked, and in a surge of adrenaline, Lois stood up and pushed Lex as hard as she could, not realizing she had done so until he was lying on the ground. She winced as her shoulder protested to the effort, but she managed, the pain not nearly as intense as before. "Get that away from him!"

"Lois! What are you doing? It's Lex. Zod's gone."

"He has Kryptonite, Chloe! Clark's barely breathing as it is."

Lex looked down at his hand in surprise, took off the ring, and threw it away from Clark. It skidded across the floor and into the bedroom, and Lois mentally noted the spot where it landed, tucking it away in her mind so she would remember to retrieve it later.

"Help me with him. We have to get him outside and into the sunlight." Chloe and Lex nodded, and Lex grabbed him under the arms as Chloe and Lois each took a foot. She was thankful that they were both there...she was sure she could have gotten him outside by herself, but with her injuries it would have been extremely difficult.

Together, they lifted him slightly off the ground and carried him into the biting cold. They set him down on the snow, and Lois bent down and checked his pulse. It was still slowing. She looked up at the overcast sky and cursed under her breath.

An idea occurred to her, and Lois quickly got up and hurried as fast as she was able back to the fortress. She scanned the ground, located the crystal Zod had dropped earlier, and picked it up and returned to Clark, pressing it against his hand.

The crystal began to glow, though it was much weaker than before. Zod's continued use of it must have drained most of its power away. She only hoped it had enough left to get Clark out of immediate danger so she could get him back to Smallville. The skies had been clear there, when she had left.

Clark's hand gripped the crystal, squeezing it. Her heart warmed as she saw his color start to return.

The crystal stopped glowing and began to cloud. A moment later it grew brittle and crumbled into pieces under Clark's iron grip.

Clark stirred, and Lois was at his side immediately. "Clark?"

He mumbled something unintelligible, opened his eyes for a moment, and drifted back off. Lois checked his pulse again, sighing in relief as she felt the strong, steady rhythm.

"Let's get him back inside, to the portal. He's fine for the moment, but I'll feel better when we get him back into the sunlight."

Lois went to his feet again, but Lex shook his head. "I'll get him." He then bent over, grabbed Clark's torso with both hands, and lifted him up over his shoulder effortlessly, shocking Lois and Chloe. She knew Lex worked out weekly, but Clark wasn't a small guy. How had he just...?

She noticed that Lex's arms and chest were larger than she remembered, and it hit her. Hadn't her body taken on a similar transformation when Clark had spent several days in it a few years ago?

Smiling at the lust in Chloe's eyes, Lois led the way out of the cold to the portal, activating it and sending them all back to the caves. She closed the inner chamber behind them, and they made there way through the passageways and out into the bright, welcoming sunlight.

"Come on, let's get him into the car."

Chloe looked at her incredulously. "You drove?"

Lois smirked. "Cuz, I couldn't exactly leave Lily at the apartment by herself. We had to drive to be able to drop her off at the Kent's."

"Oh. Right. Lily."

Chloe's eyes lit up, and Lois smiled. "Excited to see her?"

Chloe smiled and nodded.

She nodded, and remembered that there was someone she needed to see as well. Her heart flipped, and her repressed worry and sadness came back in full force.

"Lois? What's wrong."

She turned to Lex. "Do you mind dropping me off at the hospital before swinging over to the Kent's with Clark?"

He nodded. "You should probably see a doctor."

She rolled her eyes and then groaned. He just had to remind her of her pain, didn't he?

She shook her head and turned to Chloe. "Lucy's not doing well. I need to see her. And yes, get my shoulder and ribs checked out, too."

Chloe nodded, and got into the front passenger side seat of Clark's truck. Lois jumped into the back and slipped under Clark's legs, suddenly thankful they had taken the truck instead of her '73 Mustang. There was no way they would have all fit into her convertible, even if it was so much more fun to drive.

As Lex backed up and pulled around, she took Clark's hand and tried to calm the sudden flood of worry for her sister. With everything that had been happening with Chloe, she had pushed her concern for her sister to the back of her mind. But now that Chloe, Lex, and Clark were all safe, the worry wouldn't go away. A coma. Lucy was a fighter, and Lois had hoped against hope that she would pull through. She still hadn't given up hope, but her odds hadn't improved, either.

She was suddenly anxious. She wouldn't allow herself to think about the possibility of losing her, but her body still responded to the thought regardless. She should have volunteered to drive. They were going too slow. She had to make it to her sister's side before...she had to be there, no matter what was to happen. _Hang in there, Lucy. I'm coming._

* * *

"The name of the patient?"

Lois sighed in frustration. "Lucy Lane. She was in room one-oh-six before." Why hadn't they just kept her there?

The receptionist typed in her name and waited for the results. "You're relationship with the patient?"

"I'm her sister."

"May I see ID?"

"Are you serious?" When the receptionist only nodded, she shook her head and pulled her driver's license out of her jacket, noticing as she did that it still read 'Lois Lane'. She would need to get that fixed.

She showed the license to the receptionist, and she studied it, looked up at her, and looked back at the ID. Nodding, she said, "She was moved to the Intensive Care ward. Room two-twenty-seven."

"Intensive care?" She frowned. The Doctor had told her on the phone that she had slipped into a coma. He hadn't said anything about her needing intensive care. "What has happened to her?"

She typed a few more strokes into the keyboard, frowned, and looked up and shrugged. "It doesn't say. I can send the doctor down when he is available to explain it to you, if you are going to be with her for a while." She paused. "And to check on you. You look awful," she added.

Lois nodded and smiled despite herself. "That would be great, thank you." Then she left the desk and made her way up to the second floor. She found room 227 near the end of the hall, and pushed open the door an entered.

The scene shocked her. Her sister rested motionless on the hospital bed, and she was hooked up to a respirator and several other machines that she didn't recognize. Several tubes went into her nose and her mouth, and an IV was hooked up to her arm. If the amount of equipment hooked up to her was any indication of her sister's condition, then she was much, much worse.

The chair beside her bed held another surprise. Her father sat next to her, his head resting on the top of the bed and her hand clenched in his. He was sleeping softly. How long had he been there?

Lois found another chair and pulled it up to the bed beside her father, placing her good hand on his knee. It still hurt like hell to move her right arm. It was a good thing she was left-handed...she was pretty sure she wouldn't be using the arm for a week or two.

Her father was there. It still blew her mind. She shouldn't have been surprised, she realized, but she was, and that fact spoke to the unhealed wounds still present in her heart. He had never taken an interest in her or Lucy's life growing up. She had wondered at times if he even loved them, or if they were just a burden he had been forced to bear, a reminder of the loss of their mother. She could only remember two times that he had ever told her he loved her. On a sunny summer day when she was four and her mother was still healthy, and six days ago, just before her wedding ceremony had begun. _Has it really only been six days?_

Her father stirred, sat up, and looked over at her. He woke up quickly then, looking at her with concern. "What happened, Lois? You look awful."

Lois laughed. "You're the second person to tell me that in so many minutes. I must look pretty horrid."

"No, you just look...well yeah, horrid. Who did this to you?"

"I...it doesn't really matter." She paused as she realized how it sounded. "Clark didn't do this, I swear."

Her father frowned. "Of course not. He's not that kind of man. He couldn't hurt you if his life depended on it." He paused, considering. "Fine, I'll let it go, for now. But you _are_ going to tell me about it later."

Lois nodded in reply.

They sat silently for a few minutes, and Lois realized her hand still rested on her father's knee, and quickly withdrew it. "How is she?"

He turned to Lucy with sadness in his eyes. "The doc said he doesn't know what is wrong. He can't find a plausible explanation for what is happening to her. She stopped breathing on her own about two hours ago, and all of her other organs are starting to fail. She's in a deep coma; completely unresponsive, and he doesn't hold out much hope that she'll survive."

"Daddy, I..." Her eyes were wet, though she was in control enough to keep it from going any further than that if she wanted to. "How long?"

"Two days. Maybe less. The machines are the only thing keeping her alive at the moment, and he said that even they won't be able to hold her for long, if she continues to get worse."

"What...what are we going to do?"

"I have a specialist flying in right now to take a look at her. The doctor really hasn't had as much time to devote to her as he normally would, what with the influx of people from Metropolis settling down here until they have a place to live."

Lois shook her head. "That's not what I meant."

He closed his eyes and sighed, then opened them and looked at her. "I know...but I'm trying not to think about it. She's a Lane. She's a fighter. If anyone has a chance to pull through anything, it'd be Lucy."

"Daddy, I..."

"Come here, Lo'." She took a deep breath to suppress a sob, and stood up as her father pulled her into a hug...careful of her sore arm. He sat back down and pulled her with him, settling her into his lap. "It's okay to cry, Lo'. It's okay to cry."

Her resolve broke, and she let go, breaking down in her father's arms. He held her, stroked her hair and her back, and whispered soothing and loving words into her ear. As she cried, the old wounds closed up and healed. She couldn't doubt him now. He loved her. He was there for her. And he would continue to be there for her...even if Lucy was not.

* * *

Brandon paced back and forth from his position of safety, two hundred feet from the entrance to Smallville Medical Center. He was close enough to see the purple hue surrounding any approaching threat, but far enough away to not actually feel the pain. His trip out of Metropolis had given him some additional insight into his new skills, and he was slowly but surely understanding how it worked and how to avoid unnecessary pain.

Was he really going to do this? Escaping the crowded city had been one thing...it was a necessary evil, even if it had been almost unbearable. But this was entirely different. This was walking into the lion's den, soaked in animal's blood. What he was considering doing was crazy. Not for the first time, he wondered at his sanity. Was he slowly losing his mind? What other explanation could there be for what he was thinking about doing?

Brandon stopped pacing and listened to his voicemail message for the sixth time in the last hour. "Hello, my name is Harmony, and I am an assistant of Dr. Lamprey at the Smallville Medical Center. One of his patients, Lucy Lane, has you listed as an emergency contact, and I am calling to inform you of the change in her condition. She has been moved to the Intensive Care ward, and her condition is now listed as critical. Dr. Lamprey urges you to contact anyone who would want to visit her as quickly as possible. Thank you." Brandon shook his head. How had a girl named Harmony ever found her way into the job of calling people and telling them that their loved ones were going to die?

The first time he had listened to the message, it had woken him up from his stupor, and it similarly affected him this time around. Lucy was dying, and he could do something about it. There wasn't anything to think about.

Brandon closed in closer to the hospital, surveying the level of threat. At first, he had only been able to see the purple haze around those in pain when the pain was affecting him, but his struggle to get out of the city had sharpened his skills, and now he could even see the haze through solid objects.

The hospital really was a death trap. The first floor was the worst, having the most traffic and activity, and the second floor came in a close second. By the number of hazes quickly fading away, he measured a guess that it was the Intensive Care ward.

Brandon studied the movement of bodies, attempting to get a feel of the layout of the hospital and the safest route to the second floor. It took him ten minutes of surveying to locate the elevators, and he hoped that the stairwell was close by. An elevator would be far too slow and far too dangerous; if the power gave out, he would be locked in the death trap.

He spent another ten minutes planning his route, identifying which threats would need to be eliminated. He had faced a similar hurdle during his escape of Metropolis. Some individuals were in too much pain for him to bear in addition to the combined mass of other people, and he had been forced to hone in on those intense hazes and take them out of the equation. A brief, momentary contact of his skin to theirs was all it took to bring the pain back down to a manageable level, while still being a brief enough contact to contain the amount of light that would emit from his hand at the contact. A full body heal produced an almost blinding light, and that hardly helped him remain unnoticed.

Satisfied with his plan, he took into a run. Hardly a way to keep from drawing attention to himself, but he needed the adrenaline to keep him moving once the pain started, and with all the furried activity on the first floor, he doubted he would get a second glance from most of the people he passed.

Twenty feet from the entrance, the pain began to kick in, and he forced himself to ignore it and continued through the doors and to his first target. He barely even registered the elderly man as he touched him and moved on. The young child with the scorched arm, the young woman with no hair being rushed to surgery, the middle aged man sleeping restlessly in a room; none of their conditions registered to him, only the pain they caused and the necessity of removing the burden from him found any place in his mind.

He made it to the elevators and located the stairwell, and quickly pushed the door open and began climbing them, two at a time. He stopped half-way up the level, sufficiently away from the suffering to feel it fade slightly, and took a few moments to catch his breath and refocus himself. The next leg of his journey would be the worst by far. Most of the patients on the level were in critical condition, and he didn't know which room Lucy was in. He would have to check each room one by one.

He hesitated. Could he do this? Was he strong enough to bear all of the pain that he could plainly see covered the second floor from end to end? Would it be worth it?

_It's Lucy._

The next two minutes passed in a blur. The pain was overwhelming, and it occupied the entirety of his conscious thoughts. One moment he was ascending to the second floor, and an eternity later he was at the end of the hall, gasping as he looked around. His skin was charred once again, his legs, arms, and ribs were broken in several places, and the once overwhelming purple haze present on the floor was all but gone.

Brandon watched in surprise as the burns healed and scarred over and his bones reset themselves and healed in a matter of moments. Seconds, not hours like before. It seemed that the more damage he absorbed into himself, the faster his body healed after the fact. An interesting fact to remember for later.

Brandon stood up and looked around. Only three threats remained on the second floor; the first two were far enough away that he didn't feel them, and the third was just behind the door that he had collapsed by. Was this Lucy? Or had he already healed her? Was she even on the floor at all? There was only one way to find out.

He pushed the door open and stepped in, gasping as he saw Lucy's near lifeless form on the bed in the center of the room. A wave of pain hit him, but it wasn't the pain he had been expecting. Emotional pain; deep, cutting, immobilizing. What had been done to her? What had she been forced to go through? He recognized physical pain under the surface, but the emotional trauma emanating from her was so overwhelmingly strong that her physical pain barely registered at all. She was suffering still, even in her state of unconsciousness.

Brandon rushed to her side and took her hand, unhooking her from the machines with his other hand. He healed the physical pain first, in less than a blink of an eye, and then closed off his mind and focused on her emotional trauma, taking it into himself and reaching in to smooth away the scars on her heart. He didn't stop when the haze faded, forcing himself to absorb more, to take away even the memory of the pain from her mind. Someone as special as Lucy didn't deserve to have suffered so much, and he loved her too much to allow even a small remanent of that pain to be left behind inside her. It didn't matter what it did to him. Her well being mattered more than anything. More than his own life.

It was done. She began to stir, and he stood up and turned to leave. He hesitated. If anyone could accept him as he was, scarred and deformed, Lucy could. He knew she already cared for him, and there was a good chance that he could still be with her, even after the change that had taken place in him and turned his world upside down.

No, it couldn't be. Not as he was. There had to be a way to reverse what had happened to him, to remove his curse. He would go, he would search, and he would find it. It might take him a long time, but eventually, he would fix himself, and get his life back. And he knew he had to take the journey alone.

He put his head in his hands, then glanced back at her. _Goodbye, Lucy Lane._

* * *

It was gone. She didn't know what it was that had left, but she somehow knew that it had. She felt calm. Peaceful. Loved. Different from before, but she didn't remember every feeling otherwise. It was odd, knowing that she was missing something, yet feeling whole at the same time. It didn't make any sense.

Lucy tried to focus her thoughts, trying to recall the last thing she remembered. She could recall Lois' voice, speaking to her, though she didn't remember the words. Or perhaps she hadn't heard them. Before that...flying, floating...Clark. And then people in trouble...the feeling of needing to find someone, to bring them to safety. No, not someone. People. Anyone she could find. There was trouble, danger, but she couldn't remember what it was or why she was so afraid. She had never felt as safe as she did at that moment. What was there to be afraid of?

She sensed a presence in the room. There was someone there, beside her. Someone she loved. Not Lois, not her father. Someone else. Brandon.

She shook the fog from her head and opened her eyes, looking around. She was in a hospital, machines buzzing loudly beside her. She recognized the sharp, steady tone of the heart monitor, and panicked slightly. Had someone died? Looking down at herself and her position next to the equipment, she quickly dismissed the idea. The machine was buzzing for her. But that didn't make any sense either. How could she be dead and looking around?

It clicked a moment later, and she laughed at herself for her stupidity.

The sound of moving feet caught her attention, and she turned to her right and saw a man making his way toward the door. "Brandon?" Why was he leaving?

He paused for a moment, continued on, and stopped again, turning around.

Lucy gasped. It was Brandon, but she barely recognized him. His face heavily scarred, and it was only his eyes that convinced her of his identity. No one else had green eyes like his.

What had happened to him? Was he hurt? Was he still in pain? She wanted to comfort him, to ease his pain, to help him. There had to be something she could do or say to make him feel better. She couldn't stand the pain and conflict in his eyes.

Her eyes suddenly recognized the conflict, just as he turned around again. He was leaving.

"Wait!"

He paused again, but he didn't turn around. After a moment, he continued to the door and pulled it open, letting it shut by itself behind him.

She got off the bed to follow him out, to find him and bring him back, but she stopped when she remembered his look. She knew him well enough to know what it meant, and no matter what she said, even if she had managed catch up with him, he would have still left. She had the feeling that she wouldn't see him again.

She sat down and waited for her heart to break. Sadness fell over her, and tears formed in her eyes. Brandon was gone. She had meant what she had told Lois earlier. Brandon was her man, and she had been determined to win his heart and make it official. But that wouldn't happen now. She would never be Lucy Brown. At least not as a result of Brandon. And it made her sad, knowing what they could have had and what he was throwing away.

A tear fell. Several others followed. And still, she waited for her heart to break, for the flood of emotions to come. But they didn't. It hurt to lose him, but it wasn't overwhelming like she had expected it too. It wasn't like what she had seen her sister go through when she had thought she had lost Clark. What she was feeling didn't even come close to that. Lois had been devastated; she was...sad, disappointed. But not heart broken.

Lucy sighed and took a deep breath. Perhaps it wasn't meant to be after all.

* * *

_Oh no._

Lois watched Dr. Lamprey pass her with a panicked look on his face, and she knew it was bad.

"How long has she been flatlined?" Lois heard him ask the nurse as they rushed down the hallway to Lucy's room.

"Three minutes. The defibrillator is charging as we speak."

The doctor nodded and continued to talk to her as they hurried down the hall, their voices escaping Lois' range of hearing. Lois left her soda on the counter and followed them to Lucy's room, pausing outside it. Would going in distract the doctor from his work? What was the procedure in a situation like this?

Lois spotted a bench along the wall, and she sat down and waited, suddenly wishing her father were still there. He had left ten minutes before to get them something to eat. She needed him, needed his support. She quickly checked on Clark, but found him still sleeping deeply, not even dreaming. He was probably still passed out at the farm, recovering from everything that he'd been through the night before and that morning. She knew he could have made the trip in a few seconds to help support her, but she wouldn't be able to rouse him in his current state of mind.

She was alone.

She had known when her father had left that this was a possibility, but she had insisted that he go anyway, assuring him that she would be fine. Now she wasn't so sure. She didn't think she could handle losing her sister with no one there to hold her and help her handle the pain.

Dr. Lamprey exited the room only a few minutes after entering, a shocked look adorning his face. He didn't even notice her there as he walked by; the nurse had to tap his shoulder and point in her direction.

Lois attempted to brace herself for the news, but knew that it was a fruitless effort. How could you prepare yourself for losing a sister?

"I...don't know what to say. She's...she's fine. I'll need to run some more tests to be sure, but as far as I can tell, she's in perfect health. I've...I've never seen anything like it. It's a miracle."

A commotion down the hall drew his attention away from her, and he hurried down the hall to investigate.

Lois didn't wait to find out what was going on, getting up and hurrying into her sister's room. She found her sitting in a chair beside the bed, lost in thought.

"Lucy?"

Her sister's eyes shot up and a smile spread across her face. "Sis!" She stood up, and Lois had her wrapped in an enormous hug a moment later, her tears coming back in full force.

"I thought I'd lost you."

"Shh...it's okay, big sis. I'm fine. I'm okay."

Lois held her tightly for a few more minutes, afraid to let go else she wake up and find her sister slipping away once more.

"Really, sis, I'm fine. I'm okay." When she didn't let go, Lucy continued, "As much as I appreciate the lovin', my near nakedness is making me a tad bit uncomfortable. When I asked you to tell me about your love life, this is not what I had in mind."

Lois pulled away and looked her sister over, realizing that she was wearing a hospital gown...and nothing else. She laughed despite herself. "Sorry Luce. I'll be sure to keep it verbal only in the future."

Lucy smirked. "I'm going to hold you to that. Including the conversation itself. No more of this avoiding Lucy and keeping her in the dark about the hot husband and wife sex. Especially now that Brandon is gone. I expect full disclosure, all the minute details," she said, waving her finger at her in mock rebuke.

Lois prepared her rebuttal, but paused as she processed what Lucy had said. "Wait, what do you mean, now that Brandon is gone? When did this happen?"

She shrugged. "Five minutes ago, give or take. He was here when I woke up. He healed me, I think. Though I don't know how. His face and arms were all scarred, from what looked like burns. I don't think he wanted me to see him that way. And he just left."

"He healed you?" Burns?

"I don't know what else to think. I woke up and he was there, and I wasn't hooked up to any of the machines. I know it sounds crazy, but with all the equipment in this room, I can't think of anything else that makes sense."

"I don't believe it. He must have been the one to bring me back from the dead too."

"You died?!"

_Crap._ She really couldn't keep her mouth shut, could she?

"Yeah, yesterday. Lex kidnapped me and set a test up for Clark. Brandon got there just before the bomb went off, but I didn't make it out in time. I felt the heat hit me, and then Mom was telling me that Clark still needed me, and I was back. I thought she had just pulled a wildcard to get me back in the thick of things, but I guess it was Brandon that brought me back."

"Lex? Mom? Lois, you've completely lost me. What exactly has been going on?" Her eyes shot wide open. "Oh my goodness! Clark! He put me here! No, but that doesn't make any...but I saw the shield..." She paused, her face a hurricane of confusion. "Uh, sis? A little help here?"

Lois chuckled at her sister's bewildered expression, recounting what she had just told her sister over again in her mind. No wonder she was confused.

"I guess I should start at the beginning."

"Definitely. That would be helpful."

Lois paused a moment, trying to determine what Lucy would know and what she still needed to know to put all of the pieces together. Where exactly had it all begun?

* * *

"Wow."

Lois laughed. "I know, right? It's like something out of a comic book. If I hadn't married an alien myself, I probably wouldn't believe it."

Lucy nodded. It _was_ like something out of a comic book. A planet eating entity that possessed the evil in order to corrupt the world enough to blow it out of existence? She wasn't exactly a comic book expert, but she seemed to recall at least something along those lines being published somewhere. Gargantia, or something?

And then there was Clark. He had the suit and everything. He would have definitely fit into the pages of a comic book. And with the reception he had gotten from Metropolis, and in turn, the rest of the world, she did not doubt that he would end up there eventually, even if they missed the best parts of the story.

"You know what, Lo'?"

"What?"

"If your life was in a comic book, it would be my favorite."

Lois laughed, a bit perplexed. "Okay...I don't know what to say to that."

"No, I'm serious. You and Clark totally inspire me. You're like my all time favorite love story. And I'm a student of love stories. I get tingles just thinking about it."

"Tingles?"

"Yes, tingles. It's awesome. Although I guess there is one reason why I'm glad your life isn't a comic book."

She guessed that Lois knew where she was going with this, but she took the bate anyway. "Why?"

"Because then I wouldn't be privy to all the hot details of your relationship."

Lois laughed, rolling her eyes. "Our love life is not _that_ hot." She frowned. "What am I saying? Smallville is amazing. He loves me like...I don't even know how to describe it. When he touches me, it's like he's been given the greatest gift in the whole world. He looks at me with such honor and respect...I'm his wife, I'm his, completely, and yet when I give myself to him, he's overwhelmed with love and awe on a scale that I wouldn't be able to understand if I hadn't felt it flowing from him myself." She paused as her eyes widened. "Damn. I'm the luckiest woman alive."

Lucy laughed, thrilled by her sister's understanding. "What do you think I've been trying to tell you all this time? I joke about the Lane wiles, and they are considerable, I'm not discounting that...but a man like Clark...you could search a thousand years and not find his equal. They don't make men like that anymore."

Lois shook her head in agreement. "They really don't, do they?" Her eyes widened when she realized what she had said, and she quickly tried to recover. "I'm sorry, Luce, I didn't mean it like that. I'm sure there's a guy out there for-"

Lucy cut her off. "Lois, it's fine. Really. I'm fine. And I'm not just saying this to reassure you. I'm not quite sure even why I am so happy, especially after who just walked out of my life, but I am. I wasn't kidding before. I love you, so so very much, and it makes me so happy to see you so happy. It doesn't make me jealous, or lonely, or even sad that I haven't found what you have yet. It makes me happy. Truly, blissfully happy. I see the sparkle in your eyes every time you see Clark, and my eyes sparkle with you. You love him, and I never thought I'd see you so happy, and it makes me so glad that you are.

"I don't know what my life has in store for me. But the future, it doesn't frighten me. I have everything I ever wanted right now. I have you, and I get to see you happy. And I have Daddy. And I never thought I'd have either." She laughed. "Daddy can't stand me half the time, but that's half the fun. I know that underneath all of his annoyance, he loves me to death, and I know you know how great that makes me feel. I'm still young. I've got plenty of time for love. Right now, I have never been more content with my life. I have never been more happy."

Lois pulled her sister into a hug. "Wow. Lucy...just wow. Thank you for telling me that. I really needed to hear that. It's no fun being happy all by myself."

Lucy returned the hug, and pulled away and smiled. "I know, right? There's nothing like happiness to spur on happiness. Now come on, let's go spread the cheer. If I'm right, Daddy's spent many an hour at my bedside, worrying about my well being. Time for us to lift his spirits up a bit." She paused and held up a finger. "But first things first. I need to get some pants."

Lois laughed and nodded. "Right."

* * *

"_Clark?_"

Clark sighed in contentment and yawned loudly, stretching out and reaching for Lois on his bed. He found her side empty, and opened his eyes and looked around.

He was in his old room at the farm, and Lois was nowhere to be found. He frowned. He was sure he had heard her whisper his name, as she sometimes did when she slept. And yet not only was she not sleeping with him, she was not even in the same room. Had he been dreaming? Was Lois okay?

His ears tuned in to her heartbeat, and his frantic heart calmed when he heard the steady rhythm. She was fine. Not in the room, but still fine. But then what had he heard?

"_Clark? Are you awake?_"

Of course. "_Lois?_"

"_You're awake. Are you feeling better?_"

"_I feel fine. Is something wrong?_" His previous worry began to creep back in. Lois never talked to him through her thoughts unless something was wrong. "_Is Lucy okay?_"

"_Yes, she's fine. Great, actually. She's awake, and has made a full recovery. I'm with her and the General right now. We're on our way to the base to get her something to wear besides the hospital garb. I just wanted to make sure you were okay, and let you know where I was._"

Clark felt the sudden urge to kiss his wife. "_Thank you, Lois. Yes, I feel fine. I don't feel any aftereffects from my fight with Zod._" He paused. "_Wait, how did I get here?_"

Lois laughed her sweet laugh, and his urge to kiss her intensified. "_Lex and Chloe took you home after dropping me off at the hospital to visit Lucy._"

"_And Zod?_"

"_If Chloe's still there, she can fill you in on the details, but the short version is she found a crystal containing Mira's essence and it talked him into letting go of Lex so he and Chloe could have the chance that they never got._"

"_Wow. I didn't know he even cared for her. She didn't mention it when I spoke to her before._"

"_Wait, what? You've spoken to Mira before?_"

"_Yes. Lara mentioned her every once in a while when I spoke to her at night before going to bed, and I was curious to meet her myself. They were really close friends. I talked to her once about a year ago, but she only mentioned Zod in passing._"

"_Wow, that's-_" She paused, and Clark waited for her to continue. "_I'm sorry, Clark, I'm going to have to let you go. We're at the base, and I want to catch up with Daddy and Lucy. I'll talk to you later?_"

"_Okay. I love you._"

"_I love you too, Smallville._"

Clark smiled and pulled himself off the bed, glad that Lois would have a chance to spend some quality time with her family, especially her father. She had always had a rocky relationship with him, and it was good that they were finally working beyond the scars of the past and establishing a strong relationship. He loved her, and she needed to not only know it but feel it. And it seemed that she was starting to.

Clark glanced down at himself, and walked over to his closet. He was still in the clothes he had put on that morning, and his shirt especially was a little worse for wear. He took it off and looked through his options, smiling at the fact that half of what was left in the closet was Lois'. She had moved some of her stuff into the room after their engagement, as she was down to see his parents almost more than he had been. His job at the Metropolis Cultural Museum had kept him in Metropolis most of the time, and when he wasn't keeping the museum safe, he was keeping the city safe. When he was home, and she was there, he had simply slept on the couch, like old times. He hadn't minded, but it pleased him that he would never have to sleep on the couch when Lois was there again.

Most of his and Lois' clothing had went with them Sunday to their new apartment, and there was very little to choose from. Most of it was flannel, and he had long since fazed out of his flannel tendencies. His eyes brightened when he spotted an old red flannel shirt, and he took it and put it on. How had that shirt been left behind? Lois loved it, and he was very much looking forward to seeing her in it later, as he would if their talk that evening ended as he hoped it would. He would shed it, and she would slip it on afterwards. His shirts definitely looked better on her than they did on him.

Clark slipped out of his pants and into a pair of jeans, put on his shoes, and made his way downstairs. Finding his mother in the kitchen, he leaned down and planted a kiss on her cheek.

"Morning, Mom."

She turned and smiled. "Afternoon, is more like it. We were wondering if you were ever going to wake up."

Clark looked out the window, and sure enough, the sun was low in the west sky. "How long was I asleep?"

"You've been out for about six hours. I was just about ready to start making dinner. I thought it would be nice to have the whole family over again, since they're all in town."

Clark nodded. "So Lois called and filled you in while I was asleep."

Martha nodded, then frowned. "Yes, but how did you...oh, I forgot about her bracelet. Of course."

Clark grinned widely. "Actually, it wasn't her bracelet. She lost it a few days ago."

She paused, not picking up on his teasing, concern filling her face. "Oh, Lois must have been devastated. I know how much she treasured it. I think she saw it as her lifeline to you."

Clark shook his head. "Really? I knew that she treasured it, but I didn't think that was why. She doesn't need a lifeline to me. I'm hers already."

"I know, honey, but Lois has always been insecure about her relationship to you. She loves you, but I don't think she's always believed she deserved you."

Clark pondered that for a moment. It didn't make much sense for her to think that way. He was the one that didn't deserve her, not the other way around. She was the most amazing woman in the word. How could she not see that?

He sighed. "I wish she was here, so I could talk to her about it."

"You can't?"

He shook his head. "No, it doesn't quite work like her bracelet. She can talk to me, and she can read my mind, but I can't do either. If she doesn't initiate the conversation, I can't talk to her."

"She can read your mind? What exactly happened between you two?"

Clark grinned again. "I'm afraid I can't tell you that. Not until I can talk to Lois."

"Well, you could always call her on the phone. I need to get in touch with them anyway to let them know they are invited to dinner tonight. I told Lex and Chloe that they were welcome for dinner before they left with Lily for the mansion, but I haven't had the chance to talk to Mr. Lane or Lois yet about it."

"That's okay. I can wait until she gets here. I'd rather talk to her face to face." _It's more fun afterwards that way._

His mother shook her head and smiled. "You're spending too much time around Lois."

"Why do you say that?"

"Aren't you delaying talking to her just to keep me in suspense?"

He nodded and smiled. "Partially, yes."

"That is a very Lois thing to do. The son I raised would never keep his poor old mother in the dark."

He laughed and winked. "She's a good teacher."

His mother laughed in return, and made her way over to the phone. "Well, if you aren't going to call her, then I better. I need to know how much food to prepare."

Clark nodded. "Is Dad outside?"

"Yes, he's out working on the tractor. It broke down again."

"Okay. I think I'm going to go out and help him." He walked over to the door and opened the screen, pausing before going out. "By the way, you're wrong, Mom."

"What do you mean?"

"It's impossible to spend too much time with Lois." He added another wink, and then went outside, hearing his mother laugh behind him.

* * *

Lois laughed and shook her head. "You're crazy."

Lucy smiled brightly. "And proud of it." She paused, and her eyes brightened. "Oh look! We're almost there."

Lois looked out the window, and sure enough, the Kent farm was coming into view. The half hour drive from the base to Smallville had passed in no time at all. If only she could take Lucy with her every time she had to make long trips. The drive from Metropolis to Smallville would be a lot less boring with her to keep her company.

"And it looks like we're the last ones here, too. There's Lex's car and Lana's minivan. I didn't even know the Teagues were coming. Oh! I haven't seen Laura since the wedding. I can't wait to see how her and Lily get along."

Their father grunted in the front seat, and the two of them looked at each other in confusion. Lois voiced what was on both of their minds. "What?"

"If they're anything like the two of you, they're likely already fighting."

Lucy rolled her eyes and Lois followed suit. "Whatever, Dad," Lucy said. "We never fight."

"What do you call what you two have been doing this whole time?"

"Arguing. Duh! Get with the program, Dad. Arguing and fighting are totally not the same thing. Arguing is fun. Fighting is bad. Totally different."

Lois nodded in agreement. "Totally."

The General chuckled and shook his head, then pulled the jeep up and parked beside Lana's silver _Town & Country_.

Lois turned to Lucy to issue her another warning. "Now remember, I'll kill you in your sleep if you say anything to Clark."

Lucy only smirked mischievously. She really was going to go through with it, wasn't she?

Lois laughed and rolled her eyes, then reached over and opened the door.

Lucy got out quickly and ran around the back of the jeep, then offered her her hand for support. Lois suppressed the instinct to resist the help, and took her hand. She used it for balance as she stepped down and closed the door behind her. "Thanks."

"No problem, big sis. Clark is going to be mad enough with me later. No need to edge him on any more by letting my sister get hurt worse."

Lois groaned and looked down at her sling. "Clark is going to freak when he sees me."

As if on cue...

"Lois? What happened to you? Are you alright?"

Lois looked up, and her heart melted. Gawd, how she loved him. Her eyes grew wet and she shook her head in amazement. She was married to this man. He was hers. Smallville, Clark Kent, the greatest man to ever walk the face of the Earth. Or any other planet, as far as she was concerned. How had she ever lucked out so immensely?

"Lois?"

He touched her face, turning her head from side to side to look at the bruises, then let go and looked into the eyes that were locked on his.

"Does it hurt a lot?"

She shook her head. "No. The worst is over. It feels more like I had a hard workout than anything else. The doctor said that I should be back to normal in a few days, except for my arm, which should take a week or so to get back to normal."

He nodded, then hesitated. He began to say something, stopped, then began again. "Is there anything I can do?"

Lois smiled. "Yes. You can kiss me."

Clark smiled and obliged her, kissing her softly and taking her good hand in his and squeezing it. "I love you."

Lois choked up, and could only smile in return, hoping her eyes told the story that her heart no longer told him.

"Hey Clark! Are you going to throw it back or what?"

Clark took a few more seconds to check to make sure she was okay, kissed her again, and smiled. "I'll see you inside." Then he turned around and effortlessly let loose a long bomb to where Jason was waiting impatiently. Jason took off in a quick sprint and caught the football midstride, then slowed and tossed it back with all of his might.

Lucy nudged her gently in the side and laughed. "Come on, let's let the boys do their thing and see if we can't find something productive to do inside."

The kitchen was a bustle of activity. Martha was at the oven, putting the finishing touches on a roast, while she monitored the rest of the food and kept Jonathan's hands out of the dishes. Lana was there as well, mixing a salad and chopping up last second additions, and Laura and Lily were running around the table, into the living room, and back again, Lily apparently having showed the younger brunette how to play her favorite game. Chloe was trailing slightly behind them, trying to keep the two girls out of everyone's hair, and not having much success.

Martha turned to them as they entered. "You're here. Great! Lucy, can you start on that pie for me? I haven't had a chance to get to it yet. And Lois, could you help Chloe with the girls, perhaps take them outside?"

"No, that's alright, Mrs. Kent, I can handle them," Chloe cut in as she rounded the table. "Put Lois to work."

Mrs. Kent frowned and looked at Lois doubtfully, then back at Chloe. "Are you sure?"

"Of course. I'm fine. Put her to work."

Lois laughed. "You do want the food to be edible, right, Chloe? I'm useless in the kitchen."

Lucy had already started work on the pie when she turned around to answer. "I wouldn't say that, Lois. You've improved a lot in the kitchen. That gravy you made the other day was excellent."

Lois smiled at her sister's attempt to help. "Thanks, but I still have a bit to go before I'll reliably whip out edible meals. Unless there's something easy you could let me do?" she asked, turning to Mrs. Kent.

She looked around, then shrugged. "No, I think we have things pretty much taken care of. You can start setting the table, if you wish, but the food itself is just about done."

Lois smiled and accepted. "That's a job that I think I'm qualified for. How many plates do we need, anyway?" she asked no one in particular. She started doing the math in her head. Martha and Jonathan, herself and Clark, Lana and Jason, Chloe and Lex, Lucy and the General, and the two girls. She grabbed twelve plates, three at a time, out of the cabinet, and stacked them on the counter, and then turned around and looked at the table. "I don't think we're all going to fit. How exactly are we going to do this?"

Martha looked over at her in surprise. "Oh. I hadn't thought about that. I suppose we'll do it the way we did last time we were all together."

Lois nodded, remembering the day well. That first dinner after her and Clark's engagement would be a part of her forever.

"We have a few more this time, though, so we'll probably need to set up some extra chairs in the living room. I'm going to go out to the barn and get the fold outs."

Chloe came bounding by again, and stopped for a second to address her. "Grab Lex to help you on your way out. He's been wanting to talk to you all day."

Lois nodded and made her way into the living room, where Lex and Jonathan were talking about the business of farming, wondering what was on Lex's mind. "Sorry to interrupt, but I'm going out to the barn to get some extra chairs, and I was wondering if I could borrow one of you to help."

Lex got up before she had finished. "Sure. I feel kind of useless anyway around all of this cooking."

Lois laughed as she made her way to the door. "I know exactly what you mean."

They made their way to the barn in silence, Lois still trying to figure out what Lex would want to talk to her about. The only thing she could think of was that he needed advice on his new relationship with Chloe, but she figured that he would go to Clark for such a topic. He had never come to her before.

Lois found the chairs in their normal spot behind the barn tools, and grabbed a couple with her good arm, testing her ability to carry them before settling on bringing just one. No need to push her luck.

"Lois, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Lois smiled and leaned against the back of the barn. Chloe was happy with Lex. If he wanted advice, she was happy to give it to him. "Sure. What's up?"

"I wanted to apologize for everything that I did this week. I hurt you and Clark especially, and I'm sorry for that."

This was what this was about? "Lex, you don't have anything to apologize for. It was the Destroyer and then Zod that did those things to us, not you."

He shook his head. "That's not completely true. It was me, too, for a while."

Lois shook her head. "I can't see how. You were possessed. That's all there is too it. From what Clark tells me, I hurt him pretty badly once when I was possessed, and he doesn't blame me for that." Lois shivered as she remembered the day. Those awful clothes...

"No, there was a time where I wasn't possessed. For a while, the Entity and I were joined together as the same person. The joining influenced the way I thought, but it was still me."

Lois' mouth dropped. This was news to her. "That doesn't make any sense. How? When did this happen?"

"It was Monday. The Entity was hurting Chloe, whispering thoughts in her mind, and she was breaking. I had to do something, and the Entity was distracted and didn't have its defenses up. I managed to work my way into its mind and see what it saw, and I merged my mind with its mind in order to gain its powers and help Chloe turn those thoughts around."

Her eyes widened in realization. "Oh my gawd. You are Chloe's angel."

He looked at her in confusion. "What?"

"When Chloe was at her apartment alone, she was so lost that she nearly killed herself. She told me that she was just a few seconds from jumping out her window and ending it right there, but that an angel came to her and whispered to her that she was loved. You _saved_ her."

His eyes widened, and he didn't say anything for a while. When he did, his voice was full of emotion, and Lois could tell he was holding back tears. Clark had mentioned that Lex could be as emotional as the next person, but until that moment she had never truly believed him. "You mean...I really made a difference? I didn't think it mattered, what I did. But I couldn't stand to see Chloe suffer, and I didn't know what else to do. It really made a difference, the words I spoke to her?"

"It did. You saved her."

Lois could see the burden of guilt fall off of him as if it were a backpack that had fallen to the ground. The relief on his face was the only apology she needed, and she suddenly knew that whatever happened, Chloe would be okay. Lex would move mountains for Chloe, just as Clark would do the same for her.

Several more minutes passed in silence, and Lois allowed him to think in silence as she studied him and thought about what he could be for her cousin. She had never thought he was good enough for Chloe, but now she was sure that there was no one who was a better fit.

Lex looked up and broke the silence. "I have something for you."

She frowned. This puzzle was even more surprising than the first. What could he possibly have for her?

Lex put his hand into his pocket and pulled something out, showing it to her. Her eyes brightened when she saw what it was.

"My bracelet! You found it." She took it and held it to her chest. "Thank you."

He smiled and shrugged. "I didn't find it. I stole it. And I figured you would want it back."

"You're right. I thought I lost it forever. Thank you for giving it back to me." She paused and then brightened. "I have to go show Clark. Can you take the chairs inside?"

He smiled. "Sure. You wouldn't have been much help anyway."

Lois laughed. "Ain't that the truth of it. I feel like a cripple. You really don't notice how much you need two hands until you don't have them." And as she looked down at the bracelet, she knew that was true about nearly everything. She could barely contain her joy as she ran out to find Clark. He was going to be thrilled.

* * *

"This was such a great idea, Mom. We should do this more often."

Lois grabbed another plate and handed it to Mrs. Kent as she waited for her response. She took it, dipped it into the soapy water, and began scrubbing it as she responded. "Thanks, Lois. I thought this would be just the thing to lift everyone's spirits. There's nothing like a warm meal and the company of family and friends to wash away past hardship."

Lois nodded, handing her another plate as Mrs. Kent finished with the last one. "I know. Today has been really great. I never get to spend time with all of my family at once. This should definitely become a regular occurrence."

A hearty round of laughter came from the living room, and Lois looked around and smiled. "I don't think you will get any argument from them about that, Lois. They do seem to be enjoying themselves."

"Indeed. Even Jason acts like he's known us all for years. Lana I understand, she's practically one of the family already, but I was surprised by the way Clark and Daddy warmed to him. Daddy hardly ever warms to anyone right away, and Clark...I guess I never saw the respect those two have for each other before."

The creaking of the stairs drew Lois' attention, and she turned to see her sister bouncing down with one of her shirts on. At her look, she explained, "Laura spilled Kool-Aid all over my other one."

Lois laughed. "That sounds about right."

Lucy smiled back, and then winked before heading into the living room to join the others.

Lois turned to Mrs. Kent. "Will you be okay by yourself for a few minutes. I think I might be needed for damage control."

"Damage control? What do you mean?"

"Lucy told me about an idea she had to ruffle Clark's feathers on the drive over here, and I think she's about to cash in on it. Actually, you might want to come to. This could get pretty interesting."

She nodded and finished washing the dish, then placed it in the sink and dried her hands. "What is she going to do?"

Lois laughed. "She..." She paused, trying to make herself say the words, but gave up. "You'll just have to watch and see. That's if she dares. I've threatened her with death if she even thinks about bringing it up, but well...that's Lucy for ya."

Lucy was just finishing her prep into the conversation as they approached. "What about the time that Clark and Lois switched bodies. That had to have been classic."

"Oh, it definitely was," Chloe said.

Clark laughed. "You're one to talk, Chloe. Shall I tell everyone the theory you had behind the cause of the body switch?"

Chloe blushed. "No, that's okay. I'll shut up now."

"Well now you have to tell us," Lucy demanded. "Anything that would make Chloe turn red is definitely something I need to know about."

Clark laughed and turned to Lucy. "She was convinced that the whole thing had happened as a result of sex, and that the only way to reverse it was to, you know...come full circle, so to speak."

Chloe groaned and hid her face, and Lois followed suit. Could Clark have set Lucy up any better?

"Well now that we know what _has_ gone on between you two, I have a question for you, Clark."

"And what would that be?"

"Which was better? Being inside my sister, or being _inside_ my sister."

"Lucy!"

"What, Dad? It's a valid question. You know you were thinking it."

Jason stood up and cleared his throat, and everyone turned to him. "Well, I can't think of a better introduction to what I have to say." Lana hit him, and he laughed, then turned back to the group. "Lana and I seem to have a unique reaction to our intimacy as well."

Lana hit him again and stood up. She smiled brightly. "I'm pregnant!"

* * *

Chloe tucked Lily in and kissed her on the head. She stirred slightly in her sleep, and Chloe thought she heard her whisper "mommy", but she wasn't sure.

Satisfied that she was asleep and content, she got up and left Lily's makeshift room. She was glad that Lois had agreed to let her take her for the night. She loved taking care of her, and for some reason she slept better knowing that Lily was close by. The nightmares never came when she knew she was there.

Chloe walked down the hall and into the den, taking a seat on the sofa, where Lex sat thinking. He looked over at her when she sat down.

"Is Lily asleep?"

"Yes, she's sleeping peacefully."

He nodded and smiled. "I really enjoyed myself tonight. It was nice of Mrs. Kent to invite us over."

"It was definitely fun. And Lana, pregnant again! I'm so excited for them. There's nothing quite like having a new child in your life."

"You really love her, don't you?"

Chloe frowned. "Who?"

"Lily."

"Oh. Yeah, I do. I've never met anyone more full of life. She's amazing."

Lex nodded, and pondered for a moment. Chloe leaned back and stared at the fire, just enjoying their time together. They really hadn't had a moment alone since their first date Saturday night, and it was definitely something she had missed.

"What would you think about keeping her?"

Chloe looked up in surprise. "What?"

"She's alone, and needs a family. You two are great together. Like best friends, the way a mother and daughter should be. I think you would make a wonderful mother for her. Would you like that?"

"What about Lois and Clark? I thought they were going to take care of her."

"I talked to Clark this evening. He agrees with me."

Was it really possible that Lily could become her daughter? If she was honest with herself, there was nothing she wanted more. Not music, not to become a journalist. Lily filled the hole in her heart that she had never known was there. She gave her purpose and happiness in a way that nothing else had.

"But how? They wouldn't let me adopt her. I'm not married, I don't have a job, and I wouldn't even have an apartment if you didn't pay for it. I hardly have time to care for her and go to school."

"Well, as far as school is concerned, you won't have to worry about it for the rest of the semester. Met-U canceled all their classes for the rest of the year until they can put the campus back together. Personally, I don't think you would have any trouble. You could take her to class with you if nothing else, and if you're not comfortable with that, I know Lois or Clark would be happy to watch her while you're away. I'd be willing to watch her myself."

"And financially? How will I support her?"

"Chloe, have you seen my house? I have more money than I know what to do with."

"No, I can't take your money."

"Chloe, please, let me do this for you. I know you don't want to take advantage of my financial security, and I admire you for it. But this once, let me do this. I'll set up a trust in your name, if you're worried about it affecting our relationship, and make sure that only you can access it."

"I...don't know. I still can't see them ever letting me adopt her."

"I have a lot of pull in the agency. Look Chloe, it's not a matter of if it is possible, it is a matter of whether you want it or not. If you want this, I'll make it happen. Do you?"

There was no hesitation. "Yes."

"Are you sure? It is a huge responsibility, being a parent. I'm not trying to question your resolve. I just want to make sure that this is what you really want."

"I know I'm young, and I understand the responsibility that being a mother entails. And yes, I want this. I've never wanted anything more in my life. You really think they would let me have her?"

"It's already done. All you have to do is come down with me to social services tomorrow and sign some paperwork, and she's yours."

Chloe laughed, and then realized that he was serious. "You mean you already have everything taken care of?"

"Of course. I told you, if this is something you wanted, it was yours. I didn't want to bring the subject up if I wasn't sure it could be done, so I made the arrangements in advance."

"What about extended family?"

"I checked into that as well. Her parents were her only living blood relations. Really, if you want her, she's yours. I wouldn't bring this up if I wasn't sure."

"I...don't know what to say. Thank you, Lex. Thank you. I..." She didn't know what else to say. "I need to see her. Do you mind if I go to her room for a while?"

"No, of course not. Go ahead. I'll still be here when you get back."

The promise in the words made her smile, and she couldn't contain all of her joy. Throwing caution to the wind, she threw herself at him and captured his lips with her own. She kissed him passionately until she had no breath left, and then pulled away and ran down the hall to Lily's room, leaving a very flustered Lex on the couch.

"I'll definitely be here when you get back," she heard him say as she left the room, and she giggled. It was great to be alive.

* * *

Lois heard Clark climb up the stairs to their room and close the door behind him. She felt him walk up behind her, and giggled when he kissed her on the side of the neck.

"Whatcha doing?"

Lois turned around to look at him and laughed. "Trying to type up an article. Hopefully for the _Planet_."

"Really? That's great! What's the article about?" He paused and read the title out loud. "Smallville Miracle in Intensive Care."

"Yeah, its about Brandon and what he did at Smallville Medical Center. He healed nearly every person on the floor."

"I assume you're leaving out the fact that it was him."

"Yes. I took some comments from the hospital staff and some of the patients, and I'm just using that. Metropolis needs to read something positive after everything that has happened."

Clark wrapped his arms around her and kissed her again on the neck. "Will you be coming to bed anytime soon?"

"Eager, are we?"

"Definitely." The desire in his voice made her heart skip several beats. "You're so beautiful when you are flustered."

"I am not flustered." Okay, so maybe she was. A little bit. Or a lot. She looked up at the page and tried to remember where she was. Right. The reactions of the hospital staff. She tried to ignore Clark's advances as she went back to work on the article, slow as it was. Typing was a chore when you had to do it one handed.

She lasted another three minutes before she couldn't take it anymore. "You're really not helping, Clark. I really want to finish this and email it in tonight."

Clark picked the chair up with her in it and set it aside, then got down on his knees in a position in front of the computer.

"What are you doing?"

"Helping you finish faster. Just dictate it to me, and I'll type."

"I don't think I can do that. I have to see the words to be able to think about what to say next."

He got up and moved the chair back, left for a moment, then came back with her bracelet. He put it on her wrist, and then took the keyboard from the computer and brought it over to the bed.

"Clark?"

"You said you have to see the words. Now you do. Just think as if you are writing them, and I'll type for you."

"You're crazy."

"Just try it."

Lois sighed and shook her head. This was never going to work.

"_Sure it is. Just try it._"

Lois smiled. She had missed hearing his voice in her head.

"_I know, I missed this too. You have no idea how frustrating it is not being able to talk back, not knowing if you hear me or not. Now focus. I know we can do this._"

Lois pursed her lips in determination and closed her eyes. She imagined her hands on the keyboard, then opened her eyes and looked at the screen. How could he hear her thoughts? The bracelet had never allowed them to do that before. Only intentional thoughts could be heard.

Lois felt excitement flow from him, and she turned around and looked at him. "What?"

"No, I'll tell you later. Now come on, let's do this."

She felt Clark's resolve, and she smiled. She had missed that too, always knowing what he was feeling. She knew that they were great together even without their connection...the last few days had proven that. But she had the feeling that the bracelet would be taking up a permanent residence on her wrist in the near future. It was like sex, a gift she could live without but didn't really want to.

"_You do realize how hard it is to concentrate when you are thinking about sex, right?_"

"_Sorry. I'm focused this time. I promise._"

Lois refocused on the story, making her mind think about what had happened. She quickly read over what she had written, took a few glances at her notepad, and looked back up at the screen and imagined that she was typing.

Her mouth dropped as the words in her head appeared on the page as she thought them, like magic. Wow. That was so cool.

"_I told you we could do it. Now lets keep going._"

Lois felt another surge of desire from Clark and laughed. He apparently had an ulterior motive for helping her finish faster.

"_What do you expect? Look at you. You're beautiful._"

She blushed, and she felt Clark suddenly become a statue of self-control and resolve.

"_No more distractions. Article. _Daily Planet._ Healed patients. Let's get to work._"

That worked. Her mind shifted sharply to the people of Metropolis, and how much they needed some hope to get them through all that they were going through. And she continued where she had left off.

She finished faster than she would have thought possible. It still amazed her how natural it felt, writing without her hands and watching the words appear on the computer. She had been sure that she would never be able to do it when she started, but as she put the finishing touches on her article, she realized that it felt like second nature to do. Clark even typed it as she would have, her spelling and grammatical errors and all. How did he do that?

Finished, she saw the cursor fly around the screen furiously as Clark went back over the article and fixed all of the mistakes. He typed so fast that the article continued to correct itself even after he had finished typing.

Clark got up off their bed and leaned in behind her, replacing the keyboard in its spot and using the mouse to open her email and send the article off to the _Daily Planet_'s drop box.

"There. We're done."

She shook her head in amazement. "We are. That would have taken me all night."

He began to kiss her neck again, and she groaned softly. "I know. And I couldn't have that." And with that, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bed.

* * *

The warm sunlight drew Lois from her dreams, and she groaned and rolled over, burying her head in Clark's bare chest to block out the light. Inhaling his scent, she snuggled closer to him.

She felt his arms tighten around her, and she sighed contently. He was awake, she knew, but she wasn't quite ready to leave the pleasant fog of sleepiness. Perhaps it was Clark's contentment that kept her in place, or perhaps it was her own. She wasn't quite conscious enough to know which was which, and she liked it that way. She felt close to Clark, and that was enough for her.

She was happy. The previous evening had been so wonderful. She never thought her life would be like that. Her, Lucy, and the General had never functioned like a real family, and she had always thought that it would never change. But it had. And oh, how it had. Everything had felt so natural, so real. Lucy, her father, Chloe, Lex, Lana...they hadn't come out of compulsion or a sense of responsibility...they had come because they wanted to. They enjoyed her company and they enjoyed each other's company. They were truly her family, quite possibly for the first time in her life. She smiled. Life didn't get much better, and she couldn't imagine being happier than she was at that moment.

Clark began stroking her hair with one hand and gently tracing the lines of her back with the other. His thankfulness and awe overwhelmed her, and once again she found herself tearing up. She never used to be this emotional-outburst prone, but then she had never used to wake up next to Clark each morning either. A man like Clark could change anyone, and he had definitely changed her. He had opened her up in a way that she never thought she could be.

"Good morning," he whispered into her ear, tickling it with his breath. She giggled softly, and he laughed in turn, unable to help himself. When their laughter subsided, he continued. "How are you doing?"

"I'm happy."

He laughed. "I know, I can tell. I'm happy too." He kissed her, and smiled. "We never did get to talk last night."

"I didn't hear you complaining then."

He shrugged. "I couldn't help myself. You overcame me."

"I noticed. It's good to know I can still drive you crazy."

Clark laughed. "Driving me crazy has never been your problem, sweetheart."

"Oh? And just what is my problem, then?"

"That you drive me crazy, of course."

"And that's a problem because...?"

He opened his mouth to speak, closed it, opened it again, and hesitated again. "Good point. I guess you don't have any flaws."

"Damn right I don't! And don't you forget it."

He laughed and rolled his eyes, and she smacked him on the chest.

"Ow!"

"Liar."

"No. That actually hurt a little."

"What? Really?" She looked at him, surprised. How was that possible? Was he losing his powers? And what was with the wide grin on his face? What did he know that she didn't? "Okay, spill."

"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about. I think I know why our connection was reestablished, and why it is different than before."

What did their connection have to do with him losing his powers? "What are you talking about?"

"Did I ever tell you about the story behind the bracelet?"

Was he on drugs? "You're not making any sense, Smallville."

He chuckled. "Just let me get through this."

"You've rehearsed?"

"Of course."

If he had rehearsed the conversation, then it had to be something big. He was still nervous and afraid, and that bothered her. "What the hell is going on?"

"Will you please let me get through this?"

"Fine. But this better not be about you leaving again, or I'm going to beat you senseless." She paused. "Which apparently I could actually do now."

"Leaving? Why would I leave?"

That set her mind at ease. Good. So he wasn't thinking about leaving. "You got arrested, remember?"

"Oh. Lex didn't tell you? There are no records that I was ever there. The Destroyer needed my name clear in order to move on with its plans, whatever they were, and so it destroyed all the evidence. Lex went back after and cleaned up anything it missed."

Of course he had. That was Lex, always looking out for everybody. He was almost as bad as Clark in that regard. "So you're not going to turn yourself in?"

"No. It was silly of me to be worried about it in the first place. How many times have I broken into a locked building before? I just happened to get caught this time..." He laughed. "I'm still not sure how that happened. I must have been too worried about you to really pay attention."

Lois shook her head. "And all for nothing, too."

Clark frowned. "What do you mean?"

"You were worried about nothing. I asked Brandon to turn that story in for me. I should have told you, but I didn't think about it. I'm sorry."

"So that's really what happened? He didn't steal the story from you?"

"No, he didn't. Ms. Khan is famous for turning a blind eye to new talent. Having a proven star submit a story written by what she would consider an amateur was the only way I could think of to get her attention. I've written some great articles since graduating, but they always either get burried or ignored completely. So I asked him if he would help me out, and he agreed."

"It still doesn't make sense. Why would he help you?"

"You really don't like him, do you?"

Clark shook his head. "I don't like the way he works. He is only out for the scoop, and he doesn't care who he hurts along the way. You shouldn't have to do that to get to the truth."

"Sometimes getting a story means getting your hands dirty."

"Yes, but not at the expense of someone else. I don't know. I'm no journalist. I guess I don't really know how it works. But I've always managed to figure out what is going on in the past without hurting anyone else. Getting to the truth isn't more important than innocent people."

Lois nodded, thinking. He was right, of course. The truth was about helping people, and it didn't make sense to hurt people in order to get to the bottom of it. She had always admired Brandon's accomplishments, but she hadn't really thought about the way he had gone about getting them. It wasn't right. And in that moment, she determined to never follow in his example. She would still pursue the truth. She would just do it in the right way.

"You right. But he's not all bad. And if it wasn't for him, you wouldn't have me and I wouldn't have Lucy."

"What?"

"He was the one that healed Lucy. And he healed me too, when I was dead."

"I didn't...I guess that makes sense. I owe him a thank you."

She nodded. "We both do."

Lois paused and waited, giving him the time he needed to think. She still wanted to know what the hell was going on, but she knew he needed to think everything she had just told him through, and she trusted him. He would explain it to her when he was ready. She was content to simply rest in his arms.

"Hhhmm."

"What's that?" she asked him.

"Oh, nothing. I was just thinking out loud. I guess Brandon isn't as bad as I thought he was. Perhaps there's still hope for him to come around."

Lois nodded. "I hope so."

It was silent for a few more moments, and then Clark looked down at her.

"I suppose you are dying to finish our conversation."

"Whenever you're ready."

He nodded, and started to speak, then stopped. She could feel a mixture of excitement and fear flowing from him, and again, she started to worry. What was going on? What could he possibly be afraid of?

He began fiddling with the bracelet on her wrist, studying it. "They didn't always have these bracelets on Krypton, you know. There was a time when there was only one thing that could connect a couple together, allowing them to feel what the other felt and speak to each other without words."

Was he talking about the crystal that had joined them together in the first place?

"A child."

Wait, what? What was he talking about?

"We're a lot alike, Kryptonians and humans. We look the same on the outside, but there are a lot of differences too, like the reaction to a yellow sun, for example. Pregnancy is another aspect that is different. A child connects the parents together, allowing them to access each other's thoughts and memories and letting them feel each other's feelings. I think it was a way to give soon-to-be parents the motivation to develop the closeness to each other that they would need to care for a child. It's hard to find time for each other with a baby thrown into the mix, and I think the connection was a natural balance to that fact.

"For a long time a child was the only way for a couple to feel that connection, and once the child was born, the connection would fade with it. That didn't sit well with some couples. They got used to the connection, and wanted it to continue. And so the bracelet was developed as a way to artificially duplicate what two soon-to-be parents shared during the pregnancy, so that they could continue to share it after the child was born."

He paused and tried to gauge her reaction, the same mixture of fear and excitement in his eyes and in his heart. She didn't answer right away. It was a lot to process. Was he suggesting what she thought he was suggesting?

"Lois?"

She didn't know what to think. "I'm pregnant?"

"I think so."

It didn't make any sense. "But how? We've been intimate for less than a week."

"It only takes once."

She laughed despite herself. "I know that. But even a pregnancy test won't work until a few weeks after. The baby wouldn't even be attached to me yet. How could the connection have already appeared?"

"I don't know. That's just how it works. The connection usually established itself a few days after conception. A week at most. There was really never any need for pregnancy tests on Krypton."

"So it's really possible that you're right?"

"I'm almost positive that I'm right. Everything is too similar to be explained otherwise."

She couldn't believe it. She was pregnant! No wonder he was so conflicted earlier, and even now. She felt the exact same way. It excited her and it scared her at the same time. Would she be a good mother? Was she ready for that? What would a baby do to her relationship with Clark? Was it too soon? Would it be a boy or a girl? What would he look like? Would he have Clark's eyes, or hers? Would he have all of Clark's abilities? How would she handle that?

She would have to have a talk with Mrs. Kent. She didn't even know how to begin caring for a child, much less a child with superpowers, and Mrs. Kent had lived through the experience already with Clark.

She thought about that for a moment. She was beginning to understand that she had barely scratched the surface of her understanding of the woman. She couldn't imagine how hard it would have been for her to raise Clark, not knowing where he had come from or what to expect. She was even stronger than Lois had given her credit for, and she had given her credit for a lot. The woman was simply amazing.

It would be easier for her. She had the Kents too lean on, she knew what powers she might have to deal with, and she had Clark. If nothing else, he could keep a growing toddler from destroying the house.

She was pregnant! She was having Clark's child! How awesome was that? "We're having a baby, Smallville!"

She kissed him in delight, not able to contain her happiness.

She had been wrong before. It actually was possible to be happier. Finally having her family feel like her family was awesome, but starting her own family with Clark? There weren't words to describe how happy she felt, or how thankful she was to Clark for giving her this.

As she dug her hands into her husbands hair, she marveled. He made her so happy. And their life together had only just begun. It would only get better from here.

* * *

Clark sighed pleasantly, enjoying the afterglow of the morning's bout of passion with his wife. She lay naked, on top of him, her head resting contently on his chest, a direct reflection of how he felt.

His fear earlier had been completely unfounded. Lois was as thrilled as he was about her pregnancy. She was joyful, happy, content,...thankful. It was enough to overwhelm him. She was more than a man could ever hope for and more. And he was the man lucky enough to win her heart, to get to spend the rest of his life with her. To give her children.

The strong voices of the Goo Goo Dolls interrupted his thoughts, and he silently cursed Lois' phone. Couldn't it see what it was interrupting?

"I should answer that."

"No you shouldn't. You should stay right here with me."

She sighed contently in his arms in response, then groaned as the chorus started again. She leaned far enough off of him to reach out and grab the phone off the nightstand beside their bed. She retreated back to his chest as she answered it.

"Hello?"

"May I speak to Lois Lane?" Clark frowned. The voice sounded familiar, but he couldn't quite place it.

"This is Lois Lane Kent."

"Ah, that's right. You are married now. This is the new editor of the _Daily Planet_, Perry White." Perry was the new editor? Clark smiled. He really had gotten his life turned around.

"What happened to Ms. Khan?"

"She resigned for personal reasons. I won't say any more than that. It isn't my business to look into her affairs. It's my business to get this paper back in ship-shop shape. And that means hiring new talent.

"I read your story on the miracle at the Smallville Medical Center. You've got some real promise in the news business. And it seems that I am left short an investigative reporter. Brandon Brown turned in his resignation this morning as well. Are you interested in the job?"

"You're offering it to me?"

"Listen, Lane. I still expect you to prove yourself. I will not have the _Daily Planet_ morph into a sub-par paper. But you have natural talent, and the job is yours for the taking, if you are up for the challenge."

"It's Lane Kent. But yes, I'm up for it."

"Great. I expect to see you here bright and early Monday morning. Welcome to the world of journalism."

"Thanks."

There was a slight pause, and Mr. White continued. "Kent, you say? Would that be any relation to Clark Kent, from Smallville?"

"Yes, he's my husband."

"What the hell. I owe him a favor. If you don't mind him as your partner, he has a job as well. I'll see you Monday." And with that, he hung up.

Lois sat up on top of him, taking his breath away yet again with her figure. How was it possible for someone to be so beautiful?

"I can't believe it. I'm an investigative reporter at the _Daily Planet_. Who would have guessed?"

"I would have. You totally deserve it."

She smiled, and once again, he was breathless. "Thank you. But I'm not the only one that seems to have been noticed. You never told me you knew Perry White."

"Oh. Yeah, I met him several years ago. He was a little down on his luck."

"Really? I find that hard to believe. He's the most decorated journalist of our time. He won the Kerth every year for nearly a decade, and won a Pulitzer several times along the way. I'm glad that he is going to be my boss. And yours, apparently."

Clark tried to frown, but just couldn't manage with Lois looking down at him like that. "I don't think I'm reporter material, Lois. I don't write. I fly."

"You underestimate yourself, Clark. I think you'll do great."

"I'm not so sure."

"Well think about it this way. You'll be working with me all day long, and I'm pregnant. I've heard that a pregnancy can make a woman pretty horny."

A beat.

"So when do we start again?"

Lois laughed and leaned down and kissed him, and it soon became apparent that that was not all she wanted. Had those pregnancy hormones kicked in already? He smiled as he spun her over. He could definitely get used to this.


	22. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

_It is always darkest before the dawn._

Lois frowned and scratched her head. Who had said that? She knew she remembered hearing someone's name attached to the quote in college. She just couldn't recall what his name was. Felts? Fuller? Fredrickson? She wasn't sure. She didn't remember the context or really anything other than that someone, way back when, had said it or written it or something. She would have to ask Clark sometime. He knew everything.

Whoever he was, she was pretty sure he was onto something. Not literally, of course. It wasn't actually darkest before the dawn. Not as far as she knew anyway. But she suspected that the phrase had never been meant to be taken literally. Hard times always seemed to be a prerequisite for good times, but just like the dawn the good times always came if you waited long enough.

Lois smiled and rubbed her belly lovingly. She had been stockpiling the hard times for over twenty years. It had been a long night, but that only meant she had a long day to look forward to. Everything was perfect, and each day that past only seemed to make things better. Her life had never been better.

Lois looked behind her and rolled her eyes. "Smallville, I swear, you couldn't keep up with a snail. Step, step! I said we would meet this contact at seven o'clock, and it's five 'till. If we don't show on time, there's a good chance he'll bolt."

Clark hustled to catch up with her, paused for a second to push the wire-frame glasses up his nose, and began to match her stride for stride.

"Sorry."

Lois chuckled. He still hadn't quite slipped out of his geek routine. He had first donned the frames and begun the bumbling reporter act two months ago for an undercover assignment, and here he was, a month and a half after the story broke, still sporting the glasses and acting like keeping up with a six-month pregnant woman was the hardest thing in the world (though, to be fair, she wasn't just any six-month pregnant woman). He maintained that it made him less intimidating, and that was true, it did, but that didn't make it any less hilarious to watch. Nor did it make it any less fun to give him a hard time for it.

"I'll let it slide this time, but this is your last free pass. You'll have to earn your next one." She winked, and he suppressed a smile. He knew exactly what that meant.

Lois still couldn't believe her luck. Being partners with Clark was a dream come true. Literally. Yet even her dreams hadn't been as great as this. They were the up and coming stars of the _Daily Planet_, happily married, and expecting their first child. And temporarily having Clark's legendary constitution didn't hurt matters either. She had been right about the pregnancy hormones. She wanted Clark all day, every day. And with the borrowed strength and stamina, she actually could have him all day, every day, if she wanted to. A fact that she had definitely taken advantage of over the past six months.

She laughed as she recalled her and Clark's first two weeks at the _Daily Planet_. It had taken them that long to realize that she needed to leave her bracelet off during the work day if they expected to get anything at all accomplished, and they had christened the storeroom, the elevator,...even her desk along the way. After hours of course, but still...

"What's so funny?"

Lois turned to Clark and smiled. "Oh, I was just remembering our first two weeks at the _Planet_."

"Ah. Yeah, I'm surprised we didn't give Perry a heart attack with all the trouble we got in those first few weeks. How many times did we nearly get ourselves killed, at least in his opinion?"

"I don't know. It was a pretty high number. It's hard to think about caution when you're nearly invulnerable. Not that we have gotten much better as of late."

"No, I suppose not. We should start working on that."

Lois nodded, though she didn't think it would be that hard. It wasn't like she lacked any motivation to keep herself alive. Clark was motivation enough, and she would have a child to look after as well. She had only taken the increased risks over the past several months because of her increased strength. She still paled in comparison to Clark in that regard; he could bounce bullets off his skin without breaking a sweat, not to mention being able to run circles around them. She couldn't do either. Bullets still left her with some fairly deep bruises. It sucked getting shot, but knowing she could get shot without any lasting ill effects certainly affected the decisions she made. She was sure that that same awareness would affect her actions once the baby was born.

Clark stopped walking alongside her, and Lois paused and turned around. He had an all too familiar far off look on his face, and it was suddenly apparent that she would be conducting this interview on her own.

"What is it?"

"An earthquake in Europe. It sounds like it is pretty bad."

"Go. I can handle the interview on my own."

He nodded. "I'll try to be back for dinner tonight, but I don't know if I can or not."

"Don't worry about it. They'll understand."

He nodded and kissed her. "I love you."

"I love you too."

They both smiled, and Clark turned to find a place to change safely. She watched him retreat down an alley before glancing at her watch and cursing under her breath. Not for the first time, she wished she had Clark's speed too. She was going to be late. Her contact had better still be there when she arrived. It had taken her nearly a month to track someone down willing to talk. A new criminal element had been appearing on the streets in the last several months, and no one seemed to know where they had come from or what they were up to. It was only because of the importance of the information that this contact could provide that she had even agreed to meet him this late on a Thursday. She'd rather be having their weekly dinner date with Lex, Chloe, Jason, and Lana.

Lois picked up her pace as her thoughts turned to the four of them. She didn't get to spend nearly enough time with them. She and Clark were busy at the _Planet_, Lex was always at some fund raiser, charity event, or business meeting, Jason's assistant coaching position with the Sharks kept him busy during the weekends and most of the week, and Lana and Chloe were kept busy by their children and college schedule. Chloe had resumed her classes for the Spring semester, and Lana had started taking some art and history classes on the side. They needed this one night a week to get together and catch up.

She was so happy for Lex and Chloe. Their relationship had definitely had a rocky beginning, but they were doing great now. She fully expected to be attending their wedding sometime within the next few years. She was sure Chloe would want to wait until she finished school, but she saw that as the only barrier keeping them from moving forward. Not that they hadn't made significant strides already. Chloe and Lily had moved into Lex's Metropolis penthouse only last month, after all.

Lois sighed in relief as she arrived at the donut shop and spotted a man in a red hat looking around nervously. He was still there. Good.

Her thoughts turned back to the password she would have to give him when she sat down. _It is always darkest before the dawn_. She had the feeling she was about to get the scoop of the century.

She sat down across from him and rubbed her stomach again. It really was true, wasn't it? It _was_ darkest before the dawn, and she had already made it past that darkness. She had nothing but more happiness to look forward to in the future.

* * *

Gone. It was all gone. Its last meal had been prepared, served, and eaten, and now there was nothing left. This pocket universe was much smaller than the one it was used to. It hadn't even considered the possibility that there was only one planet to consume. There had always been another planet before.

The Entity despaired. It should have taken its time with this planet, this phantom universe. But the amount of life to consume had hardly been worth the effort. The hunger had barely been satiated, its power hardly recharged. This last meal paled in comparison to the meal it had been denied. Forever.

What would become of it now? It did not know. The hunger would grow, but it could never be quenched again. Would it fade away? Would its own hunger consume it, weakening it until there was nothing left?

It had survived without feeding for extended periods before. If fading away would indeed be its fate, it would be a long time coming. Centuries, millennium would pass before its power would be depleted completely. It had nearly an eternity of agony to endure before the end would finally come.

The being known as Lex had been right. It should have chosen a planet and fed off of it forever, instead of destroying everything in its path in an effort to gorge itself, to quiet the hunger for a few short moments. Instead it had consumed all, and had nothing but pain and suffering to look forward to.

It was ironic, really. It had lived through the ages by feeding off the suffering of others in order to delay and remove its own. Now it would die in the same manner as its victims. It would become nothing, slowly and painfully. Alone.

What had it done to deserve such a fate?

**The End**


End file.
